The first bilingual podcast on the Bangkok performing arts scene, Bangkok Offstage Podcast is hosted by two Thai theatre critics: Amitha Amranand and Kaewta Ketbungkan. The podcast deals with discussions, reviews and interviews of local and foreign artists who perform on the Bangkok stage. Amitha is a writer, translator and language and writing teacher. She has been a theatre critic for the Bangkok Post since 2006 and teaches journalistic writing at Chulalongkorn University. She is on the artistic committee of the Bangkok International Performing Arts Meeting. Kaewta Ketbungkan is a writer, translator and content creator with strong knowledge in Thai cinema, theatre and culture from her nine-year experience in broadcast journalism. She has been an active member of the International Association of Theatre Critics — Thailand Center since 2016. Currently, she is developing her website www.annkaewta.com. Guru discuss the need for such a podcast and Thailand's theatre scene with Amitha and Kaewta.
What made you decide to start Bangkok Offstage Podcast?
Amitha: Both of us were thinking about doing a podcast on theatre. In our theatre critic Line group and the IATC Thailand chapter meeting, we both voiced our thoughts on this. Since we both were interested in the same thing, we decided to do it together as two people working on this is better than one. Podcasting is a lot of work and it is always good to have someone to push you. I have tried projects alone, but that is really hard to get things done.
Kaewta: We try to come up with the topics of the podcast alone, but only when we came together did we merge them. I am also interested in films, so we spoke about doing a podcast the cover all the arts; movies, theatre, culture, visual arts. But it would have been too broad and we decided to focus on the one thing.
Previously, I worked in broadcast journalism and this year I have shifted my career path. But I still wanted to do something about arts and culture, and this project helps me do that. It's also beneficial for the performing arts scene.
Amitha: There are other programmes and radio shows that cover all the arts in Thailand, in Thai. Being bilingual opened us up to interview people not only from Thailand, because with theatre you will run out of people to interview in Thailand.
How would you describe Bangkok Offstage Podcast?
Amitha: The first bilingual podcast on the Bangkok performing arts scene. We are also going to interview a drag queen who is also an actor, though drag is not strictly theatre. We will interview actors in the performing acts, not concerts. We won't be covering people who only perform in Chiang Mai and never come to Bangkok. We want to focus on those who are able to showcase their skills in Bangkok, because Bangkok is central.
Kaewta: We release a new podcast every Thursday and so far, we have released four episodes.
Why choose the podcast format?
Kaewta: Amitha listens to podcasts a lot. [laughs]
Amitha: I love listening to podcasts. It has become a popular medium in recent years. Podcasts are only now becoming popular in Thailand, despite having peaked in the US. Here it is only just developing and growing.
Kaewta: This month, many podcasts have been released. Salmon, a Thai publication, has launched an interesting podcast. Though none have a performing arts podcast and none are bilingual.
Amitha: Even the new web magazines like The Standard and Momentum have a lot of podcasts. All these people who have been at the forefront of new media and new arts and culture websites, they are doing podcasts.
Kaewta: I don't listen much to Thai podcasts because there is nothing that interests me -- almost nothing on performing arts.
What is the podcast about? Who is your audience?
Amitha: Mostly it is interviews with artists. However, in our second episode we reviewed three shows that are about and by people with visual impairments. For our last episode on Season 1, we are planning to have a panel discussion on playwriting in Thailand and development of original plays in Thailand.
Kaewta: For now, we have planned the first 10 episodes and the first season. [laughs] We did not realise what a lot of work each episode is.
Amitha: In episodes where we interview in Thai, we have to translate that and posted in English and vice versa. That's a lot of work. Kaew has a full-time job and I have a full work schedule, too.
We have quite a good connection with the artists because I have been reporting on this scene for so long. Though the challenge is always being more precise, more concise and making it shorter, not that boring but still conversational. It is still quite unpolished.
Kaewta: We are still learning to do that. We are still developing. We like to target the arts and culture lovers, but those are hard to find in Thailand.
Amitha: We are targeting the artists and theatregoers. Though, after writing about theatre for a few years now, I have realised that I have always written for the artists. For me that is my go-to, because I want this voice out and I want certain issues to be heard. Now that art journalists are a bit more connected in this region, I think of them as my target audience and that's why it's bilingual, too.
Is there a season for arts in Thailand; is it growing?
Amitha: In Thailand, we don't do seasons when it comes to theatre. There are certain months that are extremely hectic, usually October and November.
Kaewta: There are also festivals: BIPAN is coming, which has been going on for three years, is this month, and the BTM, which has been going on for 10, is always in November. Though usually these happen at the same time.
Amitha: We are media partners with BYPAN and will be interviewing a few artists, who are based here and abroad, who will be performing at the festival. Though we are not a calendar and we don't announce when things are taking place.
It is not just the art scene that is growing, but the resources for podcasting is also growing. Studio 508 offers us podcasting facilities for free. There are also Facebook groups for podcasters.
With the Thai art scene getting more political and there being a lack of freedom of speech in Thailand, how does the podcast deal with it?
Amitha: I feel like artists in Thai theatre have always known how to address the issues [without breaking the law] for a long time. Not just recently. As an arts journalist I have never had a problem. I have known how to do it and never talk about it [directly].
Kaewta: Me too. My previous job was with a political channel and I don't have a problem with it. Art reflects society and we have to find a way to present it in an interesting way that isn't blunt. It is good for us to reflect this to the audience also. Sometimes people in the political arena are also interested in such plays because they are about politics.
Amitha: I found that when politics was very contentious, writing about political art was a great way to write about politics. So we know how to handle political art. Our first episode was with BFloor, which has done political stuff, though we didn't touch much on the politics of the art.
Where does Bangkok Offstage Podcast go from here?
Amitha: This has been so exhausting, even though we have recorded a few episodes before we launch. We still feel a little behind. So we are thinking about doing one a month, mainly because I am moving to Abu Dhabi in January.
Kaewta: Most of our content is evergreen and will not be out of date when released. Though a few is time sensitive, but not all. I will probably cover the Bangkok arts scene and Amitha will cover abroad.
Amitha: I feel like even artist in Bangkok have moved to the US and have started a foundation to help Thai artists, or even from other places abroad, using different models of art funding and support.
Kaewta: We have also been asked if we want to be featured in a big podcast, but we prefer to be independent. This way it is easy to do stuff without being limited.
Amitha: There they offer a free recording studio, they promote it for you and they even edit it for you. But being independent is definitely better. It is more realistic to say after the first season, Bangkok Offstage Podcast will be monthly.
Kaewta: I want to open up more to the general audience. After our first episode, the feedback was that most people don't know this area of work. So the challenge is now to get the public to be more comfortable with the performing arts scene and perhaps people who aren't necessarily interested in theatre, per say, but who want to listen to us.
Amitha: Or even make people who are just beginners in the arts scene feel included.
Listen to the Bangkok Offstage Podcast on Apple, Podbean, Spotify or YouTube: Bangkok Offstage. Visit www.bangkokoffstage.com.
