Big-hearted big head

When the actors, noisy with child-like enthusiasm, streamed out of the theatre into the foyer of Democrazy Theatre Studio to surprise the audience before the show started, I began to worry that I would have to sit through a play that had a bunch of grown-up performers acting like overenthusiastic, screeching kids. Thankfully, that was not the case with Pisat Hua To ( Big Head Monster). And a few minutes into the play, I could feel how the show was made with a lot of love and a lot of joy.

Director Jaturachai Srichanwanpen spent seven years getting to know and adapting Ongart Chaichancheep’s novel of the same name for the stage. The fable, reminiscent of Pippin, centres on the young Big Head Monster (Sukhumbhand Thititanapan) whose ambition is to become a hero. He leaves his family behind to embark on a journey to find the Blue Giant (Nat Nualpang), a self-help/motivational author whose ideas Big Head Monster admires. Along the way, he meets a carp fish (Sukanya Pheansri) — an outcast who is also trying to find her place in the world. They form a friendship that turns into romantic love, but unfortunately for both of them, there is no happy-forever-after, no such thing as a perfect hero, and perhaps not even a place they can call home.

Jaturachai has created a world that feels like a cross between a fairy tale and a circus. Nicha Buranasamrit’s patchwork costumes enrich this sometimes-dark, sometimes-joyous world with humour and quirkiness. The young director and his design team are witty and charming about having to be economical. The detachable hula hoops — the main props of the play — never stop their transformation. Sometimes they are seahorses, sometimes a prison, sometimes percussion instruments.

Jaturachai collaborated with Ben Kosolsak, a cast member and lead singer/lyricist/composer of rock band Smile Lies, to create music for the play. It is a relatively bold and ambitious move for a small theatre production in Bangkok, and the cast is not experienced enough in musical theatre to fully bring the music to life. Despite the lack of experience of the younger players, however, the ensemble gave a spirited and committed performance, with hilarious ad-libs from veteran actor Wattanachai Tridecha throughout the play.

Although Pisat Hua To is the kind of play that aims to please both adults and children, it offers no novel grown-up insights, nor does it feel succinct or fast-paced enough for children. But it is sweet and sad, funny and dark, and has an undeniably big heart.

is playing until Monday at Democrazy Studio. Tickets cost 500 baht. Call 084-005-6445 for reservations.