My First Stage Performance Directing

APAIMANEE
The Musician Love Story

played for the Sunthorn Phu's day

at the convention hall of

Phonthong Pattana Wittaya School

(June 26th 2000)

The story was from
Pra Apaimani,
the masterpieceone of the famous
literary works of Sunthorn Phu,
the great outstanding poet of Rattanakosin.

Screenplay & Directed by
Suttilak Soonghangwa (class 6/10)

Apaimani

Apaimani, a main charater of the story, was a young prince who chose to study pipe music instead of politics as the prince should. His pipe music was so powerful, it could kill anyone who heard his music.

The three Bhramines

The three Bhramines who met Apaimani and his younger brother Srisuwan at the seasite and questioned him about the magnificent of his pipe music that led to Apaimani demonstration of his music thus began a great adventure.

Pisua-samut

Pisua-samut, a sea demon followed the sound of music then she found Apaimani and loved him at first sight. She transfigured hersefl to a beautiful lady and took Apaimani to live with her at an undersea cave.

The mermaid, Suwanmucha

The mermaid, Suwanmucha who helped Apaimani escape from an undersea cave to Koh Kaewpisdarn and later she became Apaimani's wife.

Suwanmali

Suwanmali was a princess of Plauknakorn. Though she didn't like Apaimani at the beginning but later on she changed her mind and married him to become his first official wife.

Lawengwanla

Lawengwanla, Lungka's princess, known for her beauty, She was cleaver enough to use many princes from other lands who felt in love with her to fight against Apaimani. Surprisingly enough she in turn felt in love with Apaimani and married him.

The Masterpiece : Pra Apaimani
This is the longest tale in rhyme, consists of 94 books. It is possible that years were devoted to the composition. The plots are different from other tales. A lot of modern devices and ideas are suggested in this masterpiece.

Sunthorn Phu
and His Imaginations *

Sunthorn Phu, the people's poet as recognized by UNESCO, used his imaginations to a limit when he wrote Pra Apaimani. At that time the Thai began to receive white visitors, which was a first step in Thailand's modernization of his country.

Pra Apaimani was not a myth but an all new creation by Sunthorn Phu whose characters in Pra Apaimani were nothing but human beings who possessed no super power. It was a romantic story using a theme of a boy meets a girl and a triangular situation formula.

Apaimani, Suwanmali, Lawengwanla were all characters in a modern drama. It reflected an idea that the Thai could do well with the Western people because Apaimani the hero not only married Laweng-wanla but could speak English as well as Chinese and other languages.

Sunthorn Phu wrote about things that were not existed even in the West at that time such as the ocean liner, a gramophone, a machine gun, a helicopter, an air conditioned set and etc.

Some placed Sunthorn Phu in the same class of Jules Verne in terms of far sighted imaginations but please remember that Sunthorn Phu wrote Pra Apaimani when Jules Verne was only five years old.

* The informations above are from the programme of
Thai Human Imagery Museum

BEHIND - THE - SCENE

Cast

The Prince Apaimani

played by Kwanchai (class 6/10)

The Prince Srisuwan

played by Chattra (class 6/8)

The three Bhramines played by

Chatnawin (class 6/8),

Somchai (class 6/2),

Surapong (class 6/2)

Pisua-samut (the demon)

played by Prasit (class 5/3)

Pisua-samut (the beautiful lady)

played by Khongkha (class 5/7)

The mermaid Suwanmucha

played by Jaturong (class 6/2)

The princess Suwanmali

played by Jakrapan (class 5/8)

The princess Lawengwanla

played by Winai (class 6/1)

Delighted Effect by

Adisak (class 6/5)

Supon (class 4/6)

Khomson (class 4/8)

Prinya (class 4/9)

Narrator by

Tawatchai (class 5/1)

Poem Reader by

Sudarat (class 4/3)

Music Score by

Suttilak Soonghangwa (class 6/10)

Makeup & Hair by Plathong

Costumes by Rapeepan & Thai Language Class

Coordinators by

Sornnarin (class 6/8)

Chattrapron (class 6/8)

Premjit (class 6/8)

Special Thanks to

Ajarn Nuanlaong

and all teachers of Thai language Class

Finally, many thanks to the audience.

Until next time, Goodbye.
Suttilak

Scary! O_o"