RAMAKIAN IN MODERN Introduction PERFORMANCE: A WAY Since the very beginning ofthe Bangkok TO COPE WITH A period, whenever the ruling elite was CULTURAL CRISIS* acutely aware of a cultural crisis inside its community, the so-called 'national Kittisak Kerdarunsuksri** cultural heritage' (mo 'radok thang watthanatham kho 'ng chat), i.e, art and tradition, was usually exploited to Abstract carry out the task of tackling this diffi­ cult situation. Such cultural patrimony In the Bangkok period, the literary was normally picked up from the court classic Ramakian has been reproduced resource, e.g, literature, performance, again and again, either in literary forms ceremony, and so forth. Inevitably, the or performing arts. This literary piece saga of 'Rama' or Ramakian, which has been reinvented many times, was inseparably associated with the particularly in the course of cultural ruling class and the polity, has usually crisis so as to demonstrate the glory of been reproduced for the purpose of Thai culture. Although Ramakian is still exhibiting national cultural heritage. As able to be seen in the form of traditional the repertoire of traditional kinds of theatre, i.e., khon (a masked dance­ performance, such as khon and nang drama) in particular, it was also yai (a large shadow puppet), the rein­ re-created in modern theatrical form vention of Ramakian then was an during the mid-1990s, during which a imposing means for the Thai ruling group cultural campaign was promoted by the to proclaim the greatness of national government. This paper focuses on three culture through literature and perfor­ modern theatrical productions of mance. Ramakian: Rama - Sida ( 1996), Nonthuk (1997), and Sahatsadecha During the influx of Western culture, and ( 1997), The paper addresses the up to the present day, Ramakian has questions: why was this classic continued to be reworked in the re-created in modern performance and performing arts. Interestingly, not only how was the story revised to make it fit has this classical literary piece been found into today's society. in traditional theatre, but it has also been reinvented in modem performance form during the Years of Thai Cultural Preservation or pi ronnarong watthanatham thai (1994-97). It is therefore the purpose of this paper to • This is a revised and expanded version of study the reinvention of this classic in a paper entitled Ramakian in Modem Perfor­ modern performance to illustrate the mance: The Reflection of an Identity Crisis crisis of cultural identity in today's presented in the 7th International Confer­ ence on Thai Studies, 4-8 July 1999, society: why was Ramakian re-created Amsterdam, The Netherlands. in modern theatrical form during the official campaign of cultural promotion •• Lecturer at the Department of Thai Lan­ guage for Communication, The University and to what extent was the meaning of of the Thai Chamber of Commerce. this saga adapted to be suitable for Downloaded from Brill.com10/06/2021 10:06:08PM via free access Ramakian in Modern Performance modem society. The paper focuses on Rama I felt the need to make sense of three modern theatrical productions, the kingdom's calamity. He was expected namely, Mattani Rutnin 's Rama - Sida to be, to some extent, a 'better' king than (1996), Pornrat Darnrhung's Nonthuk his predecessors, at least in normal (1997), and Phatravadi Mejudhon's terms. In other words, he needed to con­ Sahatsadecha (1997). To demonstrate duct effective administration, social the significance of Ramakian as an welfare, or else, ofthe secular world and instrument for dealing with cultural establish moral order. The return to crisis in Thai society, the paper first Ayutthaya therefore was not a simple describes the historical background task for him. In turn, he established an regarding the purpose of re-creating this absolutely new relationship between literary work in the Bangkok period. It monarchy and society founded upon then discusses the current cultural crisis rational communication (Wyatt 1996: and the reproduction of Ramakian in the 162-172). As stated in the epilogue of 1990s. The materials used in the study his royal Ramakian, this work was of Rama - Sida and Sahatsadecha are merely nonsense fiction of which the based on its unpublished script and readers should not be obsessed. (King videotape. As for Nonthuk, only the Rama I, vol. 11, 1964: 307) videotape is analyzed because the production, as a movement performance, Nevertheless, it is evident that the king has no written script. aimed at employing the story as a tool to legitimize his power, since he named his Background of the Reinvention dynasty 'Chakri'. Undoubtedly, this ofRamakian name is the equivalent of God Vishnu and his weapon. The king's status was In the reign of King Rama I, the king thus comparable to a god; he was a commissioned the court poets to com­ divine-king who was reincarnated to pose the whole story of Ramakian, alleviate the people's suffering. The which is the only complete version in setting in his Ramakian, which was Thailand. His effort in completing the full elaborately described, was the newly story of Ramakian was not only to re­ constructed capital, Bangkok. The construct the text, which was believed description of glittery decoration of new to have disappeared during the sacking buildings showed his determination that of Ayutthaya, but also to set a new stan­ the glory ofBangkok should measure up dard for his own reign and the new dy­ to that of Ayutthaya. nasty. The king attempted to establish Under the threat of Western imperial­ new ideas and ideologies under the old tradition. By then, it can be said that the ism in the nineteenth century, the Thai Thai ruling group, whose who had been ruling elite faced a crisis of cultural involved with power in the royal court identity again. To maintain Siamese of Ayutthaya, encountered a cultural sovereignty was to modernize and westernize the country. The Thai elite crisis as a result of the defeat in the war needed to adjust themselves to Western agai~st the Burmese. They realized not culture, i.e., in education, dress, etiquette, merely the material loss but also the and lifestyles, yet realize their identity ineffectiveness of their socio-political and their cultural roots. Their ultimate system and traditional values (Nithi 1995: goal was to maintain their power and 4). On his accession to the throne, King 25 Downloaded from Brill.com10/06/2021 10:06:08PM via free access MANUSYA: Journal of Humanities (Special Issue. No.5 2003) sovereignty. Accordingly, the Thai tiona! performing arts to attract his ruling class continued to maintained the audience, foreigners who were not traditions they deemed necessary in familiar with a long, slow-pace perfor­ exhibiting the prestige and dignity ofSiam mance of traditional kind in particular. and practical in paving the way for the The story of this episode, which is the country's modernization. The process of origin of the Thai saga of Rama, by modernization can be seen from King implication, also mirrored the fact that it Mongkut's reign onwards. was he who was reincarnated to fight evil, i.e., the threat of the West, and to One of King Mongkut's policies to bring peace to his citizenry. promote the notion ofa glorious country was to revive the court performance of According to Nithi (1995: 16-21), it is Ramakian, which had been banned likely that the crux of the crisis of cul­ during the previous reign.' In doing this, tural identity among the Thai elite he deliberately selected certain episodes during the colonialism period took place for recomposition for the repertoires of in King Vajiravudh's reign. It seems that his royal troupe. The episodes chosen a sense of cultural inferiority was reflected his subtle intention to commu­ apparent in his court since the elite, from nicate with his audience, not only his the king down to high-ranking officials, people but also his foreign royal guests. adhered to Western culture as a model. He, for example, rewrote the episode of This resulted from the fact that they Phra Ram Doen Dong (Rama Wan­ were educated abroad. Yet under his dering in the Forest). This episode nationalist ideology, King Vajiravudh also noticeably echoed his own renunciation sought to preserve Thai culture. Even of his right to the throne and his retire­ though the standards of the modern ment from worldly pleasure to enter an world were based on Western values, ecclesiastical life in order to make way Siam needed to be proud of her own for the crowning ofhis halfbrother, King culture as well. For him, the reempha­ Rama III. He also recomposed the sizing and reinforcing ofthe significance episode of Narai Prap Nonthuk (God of the past seemed essential to promote Vishnu Defeating Nonthuk the Demon) his nationalist programme (Vella 1978: as a separate prelude performance or 202-242). bot boek rong. It is plausible that his intention in producing this episode as a King Vajiravudh made use of traditional short prelude was to modernize tradi- elements through religion, history, litera­ ture, and theatre. Again, Ramakian was 1 As a pious king, King Rama III considered chosen to present a cultural identity . dance-drama wasteful luxury. His displeasure despite the fact that his works on with dance-drama may have resulted from the irregular behaviour and way of life of Ramakian were based on the English some dance-drama people, probably those translation of the Sanskrit version. (See outside his court. For example, the scandal the preface in King Vajiravudh, 1959) of Prince Rakronnaret involving his affairs To demonstrate civilized nationhood, he with his dancers was said to cause mistakes further investigated the origins of in his official responsibilities.