ONE OF the ever-increasing number of art venues to provide space for the performing arts, Buffalo Bridge Gallery launched its new function last November during the Bangkok Theatre Festival and continued last month with Shoko Tanikawa’s “4 Seasons”. Now it’s playing host to For What Theatre and Sudvisai Club’s “Three Days in May 2018”, or “Phleng ni pho khoei rong” in Thai, which translates as “This song Dad used to sing”.

The year in the title aptly suggests that this is a revival, and a slightly updated version, of the play that premiered at the now-defunct Crescent Moon Space at the Pridi Banomyong Institute three years ago with the same cast members.

Veteran thespians Parnrut Kritchanchai and Jaturachai Srichanwanpen carry the whole 85-minute play on their shoulders effortlessly and naturally. /Photo Wichaya Artamat 

Finding the gallery proved difficult at first as I had assumed it was hidden among the newly developed row of bars and restaurants in the Saphan Khwai area. In fact, the gallery occupies the top two floors of a nearby shophouse on the main road, a stone’s throw from the Saphan Khwai intersection, which was home to Makhampom Studio, one of Bangkok’s first shophouses turned theatre studios. The gallery is roomier than the entrance, only one-unit, and the reception area, where rolls of Chinese offering paper were strewn on the floor, is separated from the performance area by black curtains.

Once these were drawn, we walked to a small kitchen area and past the two characters by the windows to our seats and the first impression for many, if not all, was that, with few yet keenly selected props and deft lighting design, it really looked like a home. Credit here goes to the set and lighting designers, Ben Busara and Chettapat Kueankaeo respectively.

The acting style of the actors –seasoned thespians Parnrut Kritchanchai and Jaturachai Srichanwanpen –was also naturalistic. With the ambient noise sneaking in from the busy street through a half-open window, it was difficult to hear them at first, but once we adjusted, we were able to hear all the words quite clearly, as if we were eavesdropping on their conversation. For those who think that theatre has to be larger than life, “Three Days in May 2018” is proof to the contrary.

Photo/ Wichaya Artamat 

In three acts and set on a day in May in three different years, the physical actions of these two sibling characters were few, save for their engaging, and often hilarious, conversation, cooking and paying respect to their dearly missed father, whose photo was always visible in the scene, on the day he died. Smartly using specific references, the audience always knew which year they were referring to. For example, in the first act the actor brother was performing in a play at Pridi Banomyong Institute. In the second, he said, sarcastically, that it was being “renovated”, as we know that the institute no longer supports theatre troupes and Crescent Moon Space and B-Floor Room are now history. In the last, the pair talked about the election and the fact that Toon Bodyslam was now running in Siberia for Thai charities.

The two characters even made fun of the script itself. The gallery is on almost the same level as the Skytrain tracks and the audience could frequently see and hear the trains passing by. However, the first act took place around 4am and the brother had not gone to bed. “Is the Skytrain still running at this hour?,” the sister asked.

The projected final credits showed that the play was co-written by Parnrut, Jaturachai and their director Wichaya Artamat, and this is another example of brilliant playwriting, the theory of which may not be taught in theatre schools. For example, turning point, climax and character development could not be found here. Plus, we knew very little about the father apart from the fact that he used to smoke, although that might not be the reason he died, and, of course, the songs he used to sing.

Photo/ Wichaya Artamat 

It’s life as it is and the artists wanted to share that with their audience. In the end it was their thoughts about the here and now, no matter how relevant to the plot, and ours that were more important.

The press release notes that the play is performed in Thai with English surtitles, although on opening night last Thursday these were not projected on the wall, perhaps in consideration of the fact that the all Thai audience didn’t need them. This probably allowed the two veteran thespians to ad lib, responding to such unforeseen circumstances as the blistering sound of sirens from emergency vehicles outside.

I missed the original production of this play and my fellow critics lauded it so highly that I made sure I didn’t miss it this time.

And neither should you.

DON’T WAIT UNTIL MAY

“Three Days in May” continues tonight and Thursday until April 9 at Buffalo Bridge Gallery, on Phahonyothin Road, between Government Savings Bank headquarters and the Saphan Khwai intersection (a five-minute walk from BTS Saphan Khwai station, Exit 2).

It’s in Thai with English surtitles. Tickets are Bt420 (Bt360 for artists) at (092) 236 4654.

Find out more at Facebook.com/TheatreForWhat.