After finishing his residency at the Cité Internationale Des Arts in Paris, Thai director and choreographer Jitti Chompee is in the last step of preparation to unveil his new dance Little Room In Etienne Marcel at the end of the month.
Little Room In Etienne Marcel takes inspiration from the well-known Ramakien story of Torapa and Torapee.
Before turning his idea into a new multi-layered contemporary show, which he defines as half theatre and half dance, Jitti found inspiration when an artist used him as a model and painted buffalo’s horns on his head. At that moment, he was reminded of a chapter in the Thai epic story Ramakien, particularly the part about Torapee and Torapa. The story involves a giant named Nontakal who guarded the gates of Krai Lat Mountain. After harassing one of the angels, Nontakal was cursed by Lord Shiva and was reborn as a buffalo named Torapa; the darkest part of his destiny is that his son, Torapee, would have to kill him in order for the curse to be lifted.
Jitti talks to us about the process of adapting an ancient story into a modern dance.
How is the story about Torapee and Torapa being integrated into Little Room In Etienne Marcel?
I don’t present 100% of the story about Torapee and Torapa. I only take the story to create movements. I want instead to present my own dark side. I feel that people only like to show their beautiful side more than what goes on at the back. So, I choreographed and created this piece around dark sides — my own that nobody really knows about — and bring them all out into this story.
What is it about this particular story that draws you in?
I picked this story because we’ve learnt it before in our childhood. It’s about a son who kills his father and how ungrateful that is. But if you read the story and interpret it, it doesn’t always concern that point. Instead, it has to do with politics and a lot of things. There is a lot of freedom in thinking. It teaches about ungratefulness and gender. In my choreography, almost 99% of it is about gender and homosexual content. It’s also about betrayal and having different social status. In the Ramakien, there’s a lot about how if you have the power, you can put a curse on anyone. It is quite unfair and almost similar to the politics in our country.
What can the audience expect from your new show?
I try not to make my creation a 100% dance show. Anyone can come and watch it. I think people who would benefit from it are those studying photography and theatre. The beautiful thing about it is the visual aspect of the performance. I like works that are multi-layered. It’s not all about choreography. It has to do with lighting, stage composition and the use of all organic materials.
What made you decide to adapt a story from the Ramakien, something very old and traditional, into a modern dance?
When foreigners come to our country, they don’t really come to see our cultural arts even though ours is quite strong and unique. So, why don’t we develop and make it more international? It’s like we just keep our culture in a refrigerator. We admire it alone and chuck it into a preserving jar. There is no development. We only know how to conserve it, but not how to make it better. It’s just useless. To conserve is good, but we also have to know how to improve it. We keep on doing things the same way with no adjustment. People assume that it can’t be changed and improved or it will be wrong.
Is there any new technique you plan to introduce into the show?
Some artists came to see my rehearsals and they suggested that it would be more interesting if I could coach my team to use their back to perform. When I’m talking to you now, if I turn my back then we’d lose the communication. For the cast, it could weaken a production once they’d turned their back. So, I had to come up with new techniques to offer them. No matter which sides they turn, front or back, they have to be able to communicate with the audience. I took that idea and used it in my choreography. Even when they turn their back, it still has to be beautiful.
The show refers to Etienne Marcel, what is so special about that place in Paris?
Etienne Marcel is a small street I liked to go to. There is fashion, a sex club, a disco and everything that is dark and shady. It’s all there. The crazy people are there. When I was in Paris, I went there for movies, nightlife and shopping. Other reasons are quite personal, and you can find out by going to the show. Only then you would understand why it has to be Etienne Marcel.
Little Room In Etienne Marcel will be staged from Aug 27-29 and Sept 1-3.
All sessions start 8pm at the Jam Factory on Charoen Nakhon Road. Ticket costs 800 baht. For reservations, email 18monkeysdancetheatre@gmail.com or call 081-814-3304.
