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Songkran may be over, but there is still at least a month left of summer. Even though the mid April's sun is as hot as it gets in Thailand, it's no reason to stay indoors for there is plenty of celebrations and parties this time of year---ordinations, marriages, funerals, and other religious holidays. So you've found a party to crash.You've eaten all the cheap noodles and satay pork your intestines can handle. As you are pondering what to do next, the most pleasant sound enters your ear drum. A full line up of Thai classical instruments played in a joyous harmonious upbeat: the ringing of the ratnak and kong wong, the Thai style Xylophones, accompanied by the high pitched bpee, the South Asian oboe, as well as a dynamic percussive section of low and high pitched drums and cymbals. Suddenly, the music stops at a crash. A high pitched yet soothing song arises, joined again by the array of instruments in perfect pitch with the male singer. Finally, you find the stage. Its colorfully painted backdrop of a country village setting is surreal. On the upper tier, a dozen or so musicians wait for their next que. On the main platform, there are sparkly dressed dancers in what appears to be traditional Thai costumes, singing to each other as they rum . It almost looks and sounds like traditional Thai dance/play, but as you watch and listen to the style more closely, you realize what you're watching is actually Ligay . So what exactly is Ligay? We know it's a traditional form of Thai dance, song, and acting, but how is it different from the widely popular natasin and khon ? NJ went to scoop up the answers to these questions in one of Thailand 's largest and most popular Li-gay hubs: Nakhon Sawan. For decades, Nakhon Sawan military radio, Wor Bor Tor 9 (Am 1080) has sponsored free Li-gay shows every Sunday through out the year, giving the various Li-gay groups a chance to promote themselves in the region. With the show scheduled to begin at 10.00 am , we arrived a little early so we could get an exclusive interview back stage. We weren't the only ones who were there bright and early. A little past 8.30, there were already dozens of fans, mostly elderly and young ones with their picnic mats laid out in front of the stage. Yort Aroy was the group scheduled to show. Backstage, Mr. Suwat, Yort Aroy himself, greeted me with a wai. As the group dressed in their elaborate costumes and did their make up, our questions were finally answered. Self Sufficiency Whether in preparation or on stage, Li-gay requires much more self-sufficiency and discipline than other performing arts. "As far as make up, costumes, remembering ques, lines, and dance steps, everyone is to their own" explained Suwat. "One must train up to many years before they are ready to perform lead parts." Since there are no books, rehearsals, or formal courses, only those with true intent will be cut out for li-gay considering there are thousands of lines and hundreds of different stories. All in the family Roughly half past ten , the musicians took their spots on stage as the announcers introduced the story to be showed by 'Yort Aroy' group. It was Ter keu Duang Jai, or She is my heart. It's the typical story of two rival families and a love affair that arises amidst. In the story, Mr. Suwat Pornpaison (Yort Aroy) plays the father of the star, Anurat, whose real name is Pornsak. Pornsak, 23, happens to be Suwat's son in real life. Also starring in the story were Mr. Suwat's two other sons, Jatuporn, 20, and Tirapong, 12, as well as Suwat's nephew, Chalin, 24. Jatuporn and Chalin joined the group only two years ago. Prior to that, they didn't have much time or interest to join the family business as they were occupied with their studies. Chalin is in his final year at Rachapat, Nakhon Sawan, and plans to continue Li-gay as a career. "Now, it's just a side job, but when I graduate, I'll have more time to focus and excel" he said. Pornsak has been by his father's side on stage full time for over 10 years, since he finished Grade six. With a decade of experience behind the promising star, he has gained a big following. Off stage, he proudly shows off his huge gold chains and rings that were gifts from his fans. Experience certainly pays off. "As the star, I get more tips and a higher wage per show. The other actors will only make several hundred baht but I average between 1-2000 baht per show. The youngest member, Tirapong will enter Matayom 1 next month. Tirapong gained an interest in Li-gay since he was a small boy, giving his first performances as a joker and dancer when he was eight. While not as skilled as his older brothers, he's got an earlier start with a long road ahead. Unlike his seniors, the diligent boy is able to manage his schedule between school, sports, mime-acting, and Li-gay with ease. "I love acting and singing and want to be just like my father." He said. Unlike Natasin and Khon, Ligay is not a required subject in school and there is no official government reforms/orders for promotion and sponsorship. Thus, groups are made up of close friends and family members. In fact, most Li-gay performers learned the art as a direct result of being related to other Ligay performers. Soap Opera "What separates Ligay from other classical/traditional Thai performing arts the most is the content itself". Explained Anate Tor Wattana, the owner of another Nakorn Sawan Ligay group. While natisin includes mostly fantasy, imaginative stories from literature such as Ramakien, Manora, and Phra apaimanee---with monkeys, gods, and monsters as the characters, Ligay resembles more of the soap-opera style. However, Ligay isn't your typical soap "The verses are sung, spoken, and danced in a royal and romantic prose." Said ??? , ??????????? ???? ? . ????? . "The endings aren't always happy. Some stories will have two to three main stars." He elaborated. Finally, an essential part of the Ligay act is the comedy aspect. Every cast must include at least two jokers, which usually are servants. Between, the stars, villains, and jokers, Ligay provides dynamic entertainment that will have you laughing, crying, and cheering throughout. Yort Aroy Ligay (Nakhon Sawan) 056-226664, 01 962-2642
Anate Tor Wattana Ligay 056-223889 |
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