SKINS

Premiere in August 2024 at Sodsai Pantoomkomol Center for Dramatic Arts and Benjakitti Forest Park Museum

“SKINS” is a collaborative work by Thai choreographer and director Jitti Chompee and French puppet maker Pascale Blaison, supported by the Institut Francaise and the French Embassy in Thailand. It reinterprets one of Thailand’s oldest traditional performances, “Nang Yai,” into a contemporary dance with shadow puppetry. Audiences of all ages can enjoy a fresh take on the classic “Quarrel of the Monkeys” scene, deconstructing the conventional “Jab-Ling-Hua-Kam” prelude that often predicts conflict between black and white monkeys.

“Duality” is at the heart of this multi-art form and multicultural performance. Inspired by the ancient Nang Yai Shadow puppet tradition, “SKINS” invites audiences to delve into the interplay between light and darkness, often representing the contrast between good and evil. Through the characters of the black and white monkeys, performed by two performers, viewers are encouraged to ponder whether their apparent opposition is genuine or if a more intricate dynamic underlies their relationship.

Photographer: Pakorn MusikaboonlertProduction: BICT Fest