Wichaya Artamat
<Baan Cult, Muang Cult> is an experimental play that extends beyond a simple domestic scene to explore the three absolute pillars of Thai authority: the monarchy, religion, and the state. Based on a script co-written by Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke and Pathipon Adsavamahapong, director Witchaya Artamat uses the stillness of everyday life to delicately—and at times boldly—reveal taboos and power. Following his 2019 work <This Song Father Used to Sing>, Witchaya Artamat once again employs subtle acting, everyday gestures, and small cinematic details to bring to the stage what cannot be expressed openly. With a poetic, humorous, and at times tender gaze, this work sheds light on the structure of the cult that simultaneously governs the home (Baan) and the nation (Muang). <Bann Cult, Muang Cult> subtly yet powerfully compels the audience to confront uncomfortable truths they’ve long ignored.
SynopsisThere are two small rooms. In one, two women reside; in the other, two teenage boys. In both, the same pervasive sound of radio is heard, alternating between news items, traditional music, propaganda, and advertising. Casual conversations are exchanged amidst ordinary, monotonous routines, but the radio sounds echoing between the two rooms create strange tension. Alternating between news items, traditional music, propaganda, and advertising, the radio reveals cross-sections of Thai society. On stage, characters speak about life and death, sexuality, memory, and religion. The women calmly talk about the possible ends of their lives, while the boys share their feelings after watching the film <Little Buddha> and talk about their turbulent adolescence. Through these ordinary yet somehow unfamiliar stories, the audience encounters moments when &life itself becomes political,& in a society where political expression is suppressed.
Witchaya Artamat has emerged as one of the leading voices in contemporary Southeast Asian theatre, known for his controlled formats and delicate perspective in exploring social taboos. Although he majored in film directing during his undergraduate studies, he became captivated by stage arts and took his first step into theatre as a project coordinator for the Bangkok Theatre Festival in 2008. Subsequently, in 2009, he joined the New Theatre Society, where he began his career as a director. He has a deep interest in exploring how society remembers and forgets history through specific dates. This interest is reflected throughout his works, in which he translates time, memory, and national narratives into refined theatrical language. In 2011, he co-founded For What Theatre, a company dedicated to independent and experimental creation. He also continues to collaborate with creative collectives such as Sudvisai Club and Collective Thai Scripts. Since 2019, his works have been presented on international stages through co-productions with major European festivals including Kunstenfestivaldesarts, Wiener Festwochen, and Festival d’Automne à Paris.
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