For a Renewal of Theatre in Cambodia 

1. Summary

The Kok Thlok Theatre Company is an association of independent artists formed in September 2006 which currently comprises 20 musicians and actors. In the space of a year it has created two plays, with over 10 performances. Kok Thlok's aim is to establish a permanent troupe in order to make the wealth of Khmer theatre accessible to a broad public both in Phnom Penh and in the provinces -- in villages and temples. Kok Thlok wants to be open to the world of foreign theatre: tours, joint workshops, and artists residences will help enrich its work. An awareness programme using the latest technologies and film will be carried out, particularly in schools and universities. The project is being developed in close collaboration with all the individuals, troupes, and institutions (Ministry of Culture, Royal University of Fine Arts, etc) working the performing arts in Cambodia.

This document, which supplements the report of activities in 2007 and the programme for 2008 spells out the troupe's approach and sets out the short- and long-term objectives it has set itself. It is the result of collective deliberation by the troupe between November 2006 and February 2007.

2. Context

The theatre stands out in Cambodia's cultural heritage by virtue of its richness and diversity. These different forms of theatrical expression were deeply rooted in Cambodian society throughout the first half of the 20th Century. The civil war brought an end to performances and the dispersion of the troupes. The early eighties witnessed the beginnings of a slow renaissance. "After four years of total privation, during which we had lived like deaf-and-dumb beings, there was a great craving for culture. We did not have many resources at the time, but all the same we organized shows, and the audiences were enormous" (Pich Tum Kravel).

Recent years have seen an increasing number of initiatives. The fruit of a collaboration between the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts and the Cambodian Intangible Heritage Committee, the inventory, history, and current state of the theatrical forms present in Cambodia can be found in the Drama chapter of the publication Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Cambodia. Sbaek Thom, large shadow theatre, was proclaimed a masterpiece of the "intangible cultural heritage of humanity" in 2004.
In a document presenting an initial balance-sheet of action carried out, UNESCO emphasizes the need to continue these efforts both within Cambodia and with an eye to the outside world: "It is essential that the artists be taught to understand and appreciate the old traditions in order to encourage innovation and the exploration of new concepts and innovatory forms of expression." The programme devised by Kok Thlok falls squarely within this approach.

3. The Kok Thlok troupe

The Kok Thlok troupe was formed in the summer of 2006. The enthusiasm with which the 15 actors and musicians participated in the creation of the troupe is evidence both of a situation characterized by a woeful lack of places where they can fully exercise their talent but also the determination of many artists to commit themselves fully to the constitution of a space dedicated to the renewal of theatre.

The men and women who make up the Kok Thlok troupe today are all experienced artists. The following brief biographical data on some members of the troupe indicate the wealth and diversity of talent available.

SOK Mom comes from a family of musicians and actors which goes back several generations. His father was his first master, he then continued his training at RUFA. He is recognized as an exceptional musician and singer. He has performed in many shows in Cambodia and toured extensively in many countries in Europe and Asia.

EING Hoeung is a RUFA graduate (1985-1989). He has performed in many shows (Bassac, Sbaek Thom, Sbaek Touch) and taken part in several foreign tours. Trained in the traditional techniques of puppet-making, he has produced a large number of them. He is one of the main characters in Rithy Panh's film "The Actors of the Burned-Out Theatre", in which he plays himself.

YIM Chanthy is a RUFA graduate (1985-1989): she is a specialist in the traditional music played in the different forms of theatre. She plays several wind instruments. She has also been involved in numerous tours in Asian countries.

POK Dirama, a RUFA graduate (1984-1987), is a Bassac theatre specialist, but he has also performed in Yike and Sbaek Thom. He took part in tours in France and Italy in 2000. He appeared in Rithy Panh's "The Actors of the Burned-Out Theatre".

SENG Sovanna is a graduate of RUFA, where she specialized in Yike theatre. She has performed in many shows (Yike but also Lakhaon Komnap and Lakhaon Niyeay). She played the role of Tep Sodachan in the first play put on by Kok Thlok.

Once set up, the troupe worked on creating a play from the classical repertoire, Tep Sodachan, staged in a Yike Damkang version, which combines dance, music, singing, and acting, giving rise to an authentic popular opera.

The success of the performance on 2 November 2006, which played to an audience of 400 people at the Japanese Cultural Centre, and the very positive write-ups in the press, confirmed the troupe members' feeling that it was important to continue their venture, one which had implications for themselves, but also, on a broader scale, for the renewal of theatre in Cambodia and the rediscovery of its richness by a large public. They began thinking intensively about how this initial, voluntaristic initiative might be transformed into a permanent undertaking, a vital vehicle for the building of a living theatre space combining tradition with a real opening up to the world of the theatre beyond the bounds of Cambodia. Since November 2006 this deliberation has taken shape in the following initiatives and measures:

- The formation of a Steering Committee, comprised of:

- Four of the troupe's actors: Pok Dirama, SOK Sokha, Eing Hoeun, and Lo-Ong Malis;
- Deth THACH, troupe coordinator.
- A member of Amrita, SUON Bun Rith;
- Denis Paillard and Florence Prudhomme (France). Having been involved with the project since the outset, their presence on the Steering Committee is a first step towards getting the troupe known outside Cambodia;
- The film-maker Rithy Panh of the Bophana Centre.

- A Committee of Honour is being set up. Comprising recognized figures in the world of culture and theatre in Cambodia and abroad, it will serve as guarantor of the quality of the project and give it solid backing. To date the membership is:

PHENG Sitha (Dean of the Phnom Penh Faculty of Archaeology);
KONG Nay (Bard);
Pich Tum Kravel (Theatre director);
CHCHIM Sothy (Painter);
Antelme Michel Rethy (Head of the Department of Khmer Studies, INALCO, Paris);
Fowler Robert (Director of the board of the Cambodia Trust).

- His Majesty the King accorded representatives of Kok Thlok an audience in May 2007 and assured them of his full support.

- PICH Tum Kravel has agreed to be the troupe's artistic director. A former secretary of state for culture, he began his work as stage director in the sixties and continued until recent times. He represents today an essential guarantor of the real embedding of the present in tradition. He was the professor at RUFA of the majority of Kok Thlok's actors, with whom he has created many shows.

- Some contacts have already been established with the Royal University of Fine Arts in order to develop cooperation and create synergies. This has been greatly facilitated by the fact that some of the troupe's actors teach at RUFA (SOK Tong, Sok Sokha). Moreover, Pheng Sitha, the dean of the Faculty of Archaeology, is a member of the Committee of Honour.

- Kok Thlok has applied to the Cambodian Ministry of the Interior for registration, which is currently under way.

-The work of coordination and organization and the seeking of funds has been done on a purely voluntary basis. Premises for rehearsal have hitherto been made available to the troupe free of charge.

4. Justification of the Project

The project "For a Renewal of the Theatre in Cambodia", which is a continuation of the efforts made since the eighties, marks a new stage in a long-term undertaking aimed at restoring theatre to its full place in society. Through its composition, the links established with other people and institutions working in this field, and the potential that it represents, the troupe will contribute in the present day to theatre exerting a new influence.

The artists who make up the Kok Khlok troupe are high-level professional actors and musicians who are accomplished masters of the tradition in all its diversity: singing, music, dancing, and acting. The presence alongside them, as artistic director, of Pich Tum Kravel, a living repository of this tradition, is the guarantee that the work of creation will be carried out with creative respect for this heritage.

Hitherto the performance of a play in Cambodia has mostly been a case of ad hoc initiatives reaching a small number of people. The creation of one and, as soon as possible, two shows per year will result in five years in the existence of a significant repertoire of at least 10 plays reviving on stage the different forms of the Cambodian theatre in all its richness.

The attention paid to the technical requirements of the shows (lighting, scenery, sound, wardrobe, etc.) will enhance their quality.

The regular performances of these plays in Phnom Penh and in the provinces (in the first place, in villages and temples) will result in the reconstitution of a really well-informed and receptive audience thanks to their rediscovery of authentic masterpieces.

The production of different media formats (DVDs, brochures, books etc.) will enable the work of the Kok Thlok troupe to become known in educational institutions and, more generally, to people who are unable to get to performances. This work of awareness-raising through conferences and meetings represents an important challenge. The collaboration with film director Rithy Panh will result in the creation of films that will give another dimension to the project.

The filming will take place not only during performances but also at rehearsals and at encounters with different audiences. A first film is already being shot (see activities report for 2007).
The arrival of foreign actors and directors for joint work, the staging of plays by foreign authors, but also tours abroad, will enable a two-fold broadening of vision to take place: an opening up to other theatrical experiences in the world, but also the discovery by foreign audiences of the Khmer theatrical heritage.
5. Goals

A. Through its venture in the field of theatre Kok Thlok intends to participate, very modestly, in aims linked to its country's development

- National capacity-building as regards the creation and management of the performing arts through the synergies developed between the different players (people and institutions) active in this area;
- Contributing to the rebuilding of the country and the process of reforging a national identity which draws its strength and pride from the richness of its cultural heritage;
- Making culture an integral part of the dynamics of development in favor of local communities;
- Incorporating theatre within the development of cultural tourism;
- Enhancing the status of Cambodian cultural heritage at the international level in defence of humanity's cultural diversity in the age of globalization.

B. Contribution to the renaissance of traditional forms of theatre

- The effective rehabilitation of various forms of performance, including those which have been hitherto neglected: the Reamker, certains forms of Yike. This work is made possible by the republishing of the texts of plays of the repertoire - an undertaking which must be continued.
- The reintroduction of the performing arts into educational institutions: this approach by encouraging greater awareness in society forms part of the winning back of a large audience.
- Introductory theatre workshops for street children in close cooperation with associations operating in this area. An initial project along these lines is under discussion with an association in Siem Reap Province.
- The creation of an image bank dedicated to the performing arts in Cambodia but also giving access to the theatrical experiences of other countries;
- The building of an Internet site.

            While the work of theatre creation is already well under way, the implementation of other objectives largely depends on future collaboration but also, and above all, on the financial resources that will be available to Kok Thlok.

6. Expected Results

The regular activity of a high-level professional troupe demonstrating that an independent theatre troupe can exist in Cambodia will serve as the basis as well as the stimulus for new initiatives by Kok Thlok and other troupes in the area of the performing arts. These initiatives will be supported by:
- the synergies made possible by a network connecting up the institutions and individuals working in the performing arts;
- a revitalized repertoire combining the major works derived from the tradition and new texts by Cambodian and foreign authors;
- the experience acquired in the area of management and organization of a troupe;
- the introduction of new production techniques;
- the gradual creation of an informed and demanding audience.

The momentum developed will also give a considerable boost to the training given at the Royal University of Fine Arts, whose students will be able to find new and promising outlets for their talents. The RUFA will also be able to originate specific projects.

7. The implementation of the activities

There are three main strands to the organization of the project:

A. Creation and performances

The Kok Thlok troupe will work at creating one and, as soon as possible, two shows per year. The initial programming has been devised in close cooperation with Mr Pich Tum Kravel.

Seven traditional shows were chosen, on the basis of two criteria:
some are very popular and form part of the secondary school syllabus, the others are little-known texts which are to be revived.

The selection reflects the diversity of the theatrical forms, including some which have fallen into oblivion: Yike, Sbaek Thom, Bassac, Lakhaon Mahori, Sbaek Touch, Sbaek Por, Lakhaon Komnap.

The plays which will be performed are as follows:

Yike

Tum Teav. This masterpiece of Cambodian literature is known by all Cambodians. It is the story of an impossible love, but also a picture of Khmer society during the Middle Period (XVI-XIX Centuries). Tum Teav, which is the most popular play in the Yike repertoire, will be performed for the first time in Yike Damkang, the oldest and most stripped-down version of Yike.

Phka roam tuk roam. A tale where the fabulous and the real intermingle. It is also a parable about good and evil, and the ruses employed by the latter. This play, which is little known and has been hitherto played in the Bassac theatre, will take on its full poetic dimension in a Yike version combining singing, music, dancing, and acting.

Bassac

Phok-Kol Koma. Composed in verse by the poet Nan at the end of the XVIII Century, the play recounts the numerous adventures in the life of the Buddha when he was Phok Kol Koma, the grandson of a very rich man who died in poverty and was reincarnated as Indra. Bassac has its genesis in the Mekong Delta; it is musical theatre close in inspiration to Chinese opera.

Sbaek Touch and Lakhaon Mahori

Sop Sith. A tale of marvels composed in verse, strongly influenced by popular beliefs and the beliefs of the Buddhist tradition in reincarnation (karma). The story is divided into several parts which correspond to the successive reincarnations of the heroes. The first episode (where the heroes are birds) will be played in Sbaek Touch, the subsequent ones in the Lakhaon Mahori form, which combines folk dancing and acting.

Sbaek Thom

Rama Cast into a Deep Sleep by Weyreap’s Evil Spells. This episode of the Ramayana has apparently never been played by Sbaek Thom. This episode of the Ramayana recounts the capture of Rama and his brother by Weyreap, nephew of Ravanna and lord of the underwater realm, and their liberation by Hanuman. The creation of the play bring together Pich Tum Kravel, for the text in verse and direction, and Eing Hoeun for the puppet-making (more than 100).

Sbaek Por (this rare form of theatre is not shadow theatre, it uses colored leather figures, and the performances take place during the day):

Preah Thinvong Nieng Pov. This story is a variation on the theme of morality and social justice. In the Sbaek Por theatre each person represented by a puppet takes on the face of the actor during the dramatic moments. The making of the puppets will combine the skill and talent of Pich Tum Kravel and Eing Hoeun with the traditional colours of the painter Chhim Sothy, whose works are inspired by the story of the Ramayana and the lives of the Buddha.

Lakhaon Komnap

Vessantara. This play evokes the tenth life of the future Buddha around the theme of giving and forgiveness. This episode of the life of the Buddha is very popular and is represented in the frescoes on the walls of many Buddhist temples. Lakhaon Komnap is a  form of poetic theatre close to Bassac, inspired by Chinese opera.

At the present stage, it is difficult to know exactly how much it will cost to put on each play. However, it is possible to specify that puppets will have to be made for the Sbaek Thom, Sbaek Touch, and Sbaek Por plays. For certain shows outside actors and/or musicians will have to be brought into the troupe.

The three plays intended to introduce foreign theatre will be put on in one of the traditional Cambodian forms. The three plays chosen are Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet played in Yike, Sophocles' Antigone and Moliere's The Bourgeois Gentleman. The latter will be played in the Pramotey form, musical theatre strongly influence by European musical comedy.

The work with foreign actors and directors will be carried out as part of this programming, but will also give rise to a new show.

The locations chosen for putting on the shows must enable a large audience to be reached. Far from confining itself to Phnom Penh, the Kok Thlok troupe will carry out tours for performances in the principal towns of the regions and districts but also in village temples. Performances will also be given in secondary schools and universities.

As soon as possible, it is planned that foreign tours lasting around ten days will be organized during the last three years of the project. The countries will be chosen partly on the basis of preexisting contacts and cooperation.

The Kok Thlok troupe does not yet have its own premises. Premises for rehearsal have hitherto been made available to the troupe free of charge. It seems essential in the long run that it should have its own independent premises for rehearsals and ancillary activities: workshops, documentation centre, meetings.

The filming will take place not only during performances but also at rehearsals and at encounters with different audiences. A first film is already being shot (see activities report for 2007).

B. Training (yet to be set up)

The training activities will be developed on three levels:

The presence of foreign actors and directors in Cambodia will afford the opportunity to initiate the troupe's artists into foreign forms of theatre and new techniques: this joint work may result in the creation of a show. Given the place that puppets occupy in Khmer theatre, it is planned to organize visits by foreign puppeteers, which will enable different techniques and forms of acting to be seen and appreciated.

In order for the Kok Thlok troupe to acquire complete independence, including on the organizational level, it is essential that a series of technical training courses be instituted for troupe members: troupe administration and management, accountancy, the drafting of projects and reports, and the learning of foreign languages.

The creation of a puppet workshop and costume workshop under the responsibility of a troupe member will give the troupe real independence; these workshops will also provide training in modern techniques from abroad.

1. Puppet workshop.

Eing Hoeun is a master of the traditional techniques for making large puppets (Sbaek Thom) and small puppets (Sbaek Touch). He has created a very large number of both types of puppets. As the workshop leader, it will be his task to initiate others into these techniques and to supervise the making of the puppets required for the shows.

1. Costume workshop.

Sok Sokka has a wealth o f experience in costume-making. She will have responsibility for forming a team capable of making all or some of the costumes.

The enhanced cooperation with the Royal University of Fine Arts will make possible:
- the admission of RUFA students as trainees;
- the participation of RUFA lecturers in training within the troupe, but also the participation of members of the Kok Thlok troupe in training sessions at the University;
- exchanges of expertise in different technical and artistic areas.

C. Dissemination (yet to be set up)

If the existence of the troupe is to play its full part in the renewal of theatre it is essential that it have a set-up which makes use of the new technologies:

- The creation of a multingual Internet site:
- An inventory of the forms and locations of theatre in Cambodia;
- The placing on-line of readings/recitations of the Reamker;
- The placing on-line of all the plays filmed;
- The digitilization and placing on-line of Pich Tum Kravel’s library ;
- The creation of a virtual gallery of puppets;
- The display of photographic documents;
- The creation of a teaching module on: forms of theatre, character, puppets, musical form, musical instruments, etc.
- The production of DVD-ROMs. Intended primarily for teaching establishments, the DVD-ROMs will be designed as an extension of the Internet site (difficulties of network access in Cambodia, lack of high-speed Internet);
- The making of films which will make it possible to reach a larger audience through screenings and possible digitilization. The filming will take place not only during performances but also at rehearsals and at encounters with different audiences. A first film is already being shot (see activities report for 2007).