The only one of its kind in the entire Asian Economic Community (AEC), the International Association of Theatre Critics (IATC) Thailand, with support from Arrow, the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC) and Should Be, organised the fourth IATC Thailand Dance and Theatre Review last Tuesday at the BACC.

In addition to handing out IATC Thailand awards in 12 categories, including a lifetime achievement award to Thailand’s most prolific playwright Daraka Wongsiri, critics took the stage to share their overview of contemporary dance and theatre in 2015 and how they would further develop this year, as well as the reasons why they decided to give each award to a certain work and individual.

A booklet of 2015 dance and theatre reviews, in Thai and English, was also handed out, and is now available online. In addition to promoting freedom of speech, the event aimed to express thanks to the artists who have been working hard all year.

IATC Thailand’s honorary president Kittisak Suwanaphokin took note of the profusion of musicals – a trend he thinks will continue this year.

“In the first month of this year alone, I’ve watched three very good musicals – Dreambox’s ‘Mom’, Thonglor Art Space’s ‘Cocktail’ and Bangkok Studio 41’s ‘The Wife’,” he told the assembled audience.

“So anyone who’s planning a musical production this year, stop that and postpone to next year. We already have three best musical nominees for 2016,” I added to laughter from the crowd.

Vice president Amitha Amranand added her notes on the rise of English-speaking professional theatre companies as well as international collaborations, supported by foreign cultural organisations, which went further than the surface level and really allowed time for artists to create work together. She also made mention of the official opening of two venues, namely Siam Pic-Ganesha Centre of Performing Arts and Thonglor Art Space.

I voiced my complaint on how our tax money was spent by the Ministry of Culture in staging a one-evening performance of khon at the Royal Albert Hall, pointing out that the money would have been better spent on supporting several contemporary dance and theatre projects.

Then came the rollout of awards. Worth noting is that this year there was no runaway winner, and the biggest winner picked up only two major awards – Pichet Klunchun Dance Company’s “The Gentlemen”. Inspired by a research project on men-in-waiting in the reign of King Rama VI, it was nominated in two categories and won both: best movement-based performance and best performance by an ensemble.

The other two major awards, best play and best musical, went to For WhaT theatre’s “Three Days in May” and Guts Entertainment’s “The Sound of Music”. The “Three Days” recognition made it two in a row for director Wichaya Artamat, who last year won for “In Ther’s View”, and he thanked his two actors for their collaboration in their dialogues from their collaboration.

Presenting the latter award to television director Yuthana Lorphanpaibul, Kittisak said it was the best production of the Broadway classic he’s watched. Yuthana was obviously surprised that a commercial theatre production was being recognised by the critics but recovered quickly to thank his cast and crew, especially the translator Narin Prasoppakdee, who shares his love of musicals, which was evident from his ability to choose the Thai words that fit the tunes and thus make this work truly “Monrak Phleng Sawan” for Thai audiences.

In a year that has seen them at their most prolific, physical theatre company B-Floor was praised for best direction, best original script and best art direction. The winners were respectively Silpathorn artist Jarunun Phantachat who tested the audience’s and her performers’, herself included, physical and mental endurance with a strong commentary on political and cultural policies in “The Test of Endurance”; former winner of Sodsai Award Pattareeya Puapongsakorn who penned a political allegory from Jarunun’s idea which was then deconstructed by Jarunun in “Ceci n’est pas la politique”, and Dujdao Vadhanapakorn who transformed BACC’s fourth floor studio into a well in “The Secret Keeper.”

Another repeat winner in the same category as last year was Ninart Boonpothong for “Fallen Memory”, his adaptation of Murakami’s “Norwegian Wood”. Silpathorn artist Pradit Prasartthong was recognised for his musical book for Puey Ungpakorn biographical drama “Mangkon Salat Klet”.

New faces on this stage of honour included Thongchai Pimarnsri from his tour-de-force performance in “Whaam!: A Brief History of Unknown Astronaut”; and singer Pijika Jittaputta for her performance in the otherwise critically panned “Phaendin Khong Rao: The Musical”.

It should be noted that while the Culture Ministry supports national film awards, they are providing no funding towards the IATC Thailand Awards, the country’s only formal recognition of dance and theatre. That lack of allocation might well mean the end of the IATC Thailand Awards.

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