A Study of Comparing Forms and Components of Royal Nang Yai Performance and Local Nang Yai Performance

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to compare forms and components of royal Nang Yai performances by Fine Arts Department and local Nang Yai performances by Wat Khanon (Khanon temple) troupe, Ratchaburi. And tried to find out process to develop the Nang Yai performance. Research methodologies are documentary research, interviews, observations from live performances and training with dance expert. The result shows both are different. The differences are 1) puppeteer selection: the Fine Arts Department selects the performers from government officers, while Wat Khanon select those from teenagers living in the community, 2) performance: the performing pattern of the Fine Arts Department is inherited from the Arts Department in the past which focuses on the expression of the puppets like Khon performance, but the pattern of Wat Khanon has its unique movement which is inherited from the local, 3) Thai musical instruments played in the performance: in the Thai Classical Ensemble, the Fine Arts Department plays Pi Klang (a kind of Thai reed pipe), Krong (a Thai bamboo percussion) and Klong Ting (a Thai drum), while only Pi Nai and Krong are played in the ensemble of Wat Khanon, 4) the costumes of the puppeteers in both performances are similar, but the puppeteers of Wat Khanon The purpose of this research is to compare forms and components of royal Nang Yai performances by Fine Arts Department and local Nang Yai performances by Wat Khanon (Khanon temple) troupe, Ratchaburi. And tried to find out process to develop the Nang Yai performance. Research methodologies are documentary research, interviews, observations from live performances and training with dance expert. The result shows both are different. The differences are 1) puppeteer selection: the Fine Arts Department selects the performers from government officers, while Wat Khanon select those from teenagers living in the community, 2) performance: the performing pattern of the Fine Arts Department is inherited from the Arts Department in the past which focuses on the expression of the puppets like Khon performance, but the pattern of Wat Khanon has its unique movement which is inherited from the local, 3) Thai musical instruments played in the performance: in the Thai Classical Ensemble, the Fine Arts Department plays Pi Klang (a kind of Thai reed pipe), Krong (a Thai bamboo percussion) and Klong Ting (a Thai drum), while only Pi Nai and Krong are played in the ensemble of Wat Khanon, 4) the costumes of the puppeteers in both performances are similar, but the puppeteers of Wat Khanon ศิลปกรรมสาร 77do not wear hats, 5) the costumes of the narrators of the Fine Arts Department wear official clothes called Raja Pattern, while those of Wat Khanon dress like the puppeteers, 6) the narrators of the Fine Arts Department have their own dialogues and run the story slowly, while those of Wat Khanon have to be able to recite in every dialogue or character and run the story fast, 7) the directions of both performance are different, and 8) there is no director in the performance of the Fine Arts Department, while in the performance of Wat Khanon there is one who manage and direct the performance. In comparison shows the main elements as the puppets, performance patterns should be conseved. But other elements as screen, lighting, musical instruments, costumes can be developed.