Tonight, I attended the theatre with my Thai friends Neung (left) and Joy (right). We've been getting together weekly for dinner, which has been fabulous! Last time we we're all together was during my first visit to Thailand in 1998. Although Neung and I sometimes meet in Italy, should we find ourselves there at the same time, we've managed to maintain a wonderful friendship since our memorable year in Florence - completing our Master's in Italian through Middlebury College. Both Neung and Joy are professors at Chula - Neung teaches Italian and chairs the department of foreign languages; she has also published a few books and is under a deadline to translate an Italian novel to Thai in just a few days!! And you think I'm busy! :o) Yes, she is brilliant and I am so fortunate to have her as my friend. She was the first person who introduced me to Buddhism, years and years ago, and has inspired me to explore it further. I truly admire Neung for her accomplishments and for the person that she is ... Joy is a close friend of Neung's and teaches English. She loves yoga and dance and is simply a "joy" to be around. I can't tell you how awesome it is to spend "time" with these two vibrant, lovely, classy, intelligent, versatile, independent, funny and warm-hearted women ... my friends. :o)
So here is the theatre curtain!! Isn't it beautiful!? The performance was spectacular! Although I didn't understand A WORD, I was captivated and mesmerized by the costumes, masks and traditional Thai dancing. The movements of the actors and actresses hands and feet alone are amazing!! Because traditional theatre and dance are fully intertwined, storytelling is quite different. Of course having English subtitles of what was going on during a particular act was extremely helpful, not to mention Joy and Neung's occasional comments to clarify instances where the audience was laughing and I wasn't. :o)
You can definitely feel the pride in maintaining this classical part of their national heritage. The Queen (who was in attendance on Thursday night) supports the arts and sponsored authentic props from the Palace and also made is extremely affordable so that students would be able to go. A great number of Neung's students were there, which was spectacular. As we strolled in they were all waiing us! Speaking of waiing ... I absolutely love it!! Each time I do it (which is countless times a day), I find that it actively engages two people to simultaneous communicate with one another beyond a verbal "hello." When you say hello in Thailand, you say it together with the gesture of waiing (hands pressed together at chest level with a simultaneous bow) and end it with a smile. It's more than a simple greeting!! I LOVE IT!! Waiing is a unique, graceful action practiced throughout Thailand as it plays a very important part in showing respect and is fundamental to Thai etiquette. As you can imagine, hugs or the "European kiss-on-each-cheek" is not Thai AT ALL! No worries though, even as an Italian, I'm adapting very well ... :o)
At the end of the performance, everyone stood up as the King's anthem was played, after which, everyone simultaneously and respectfully bowed really low (lower than they would for their national anthem). It was wonderful! Upon exiting the theatre and to my surprise, I was interviewed by a woman who had a similar name as mine. Rosesawan, from World Buddhist Television, asked me to comment on the evening's performance, if I would recommend it to anyone and if I would come again to another performance in the fall. It was a bit overwhelming but definitely fantastic!!! (After she interviewed me she interviewed the director, pictured here).
Beautiful masks for sale ...
In front of the theatre, there was this open Buddhist temple which was absolutely stunning. There is such a peaceful feeling about going to temple ...
Neung, me and Joy outside of the temple. Notice how it's surrounded by water. Isn't it stunning?
