RABAM IN THE DRAMA KHUN SOMPHOP

Abstract

This thesis employs a qualitative research methodology with the following objectives: 1) examine the concepts, forms, and components of dance in Sompop’s theatrical productions, and 2) analyze the choreographic structures and movement vocabulary of three selected dances: the Slave Dance from the spoken play Chatkaew, the Apsara Fire Dance from the grand Likay-style play Nang Sueang, and the Thai Remembrance Dance from the mixed spoken-singing play Bang Rachan. Data were collected through documentary research, academic works, expert interviews, archival performance recordings, and field-based analysis.

          Findings revealed that: 1) Sompop’s theatrical dances were creatively developed through historical inquiry. Their structural design comprised opening, intermediate, and concluding dances, with elements adapted from stone inscriptions and foreign dance traditions. The choreography emphasized precision and synchronicity. Musical accompaniment integrated diverse ensembles, including string orchestras, piphat ensembles, string-organ hybrids, and Thai-Western orchestral fusions. Costumes were constructed with reference to historical evidence to achieve authenticity, and casting conformed to traditional gender roles by engaging male and female performers respectively. 2) Analysis of the three dance sequences showed that the Slave Dance functioned as an opening piece, reflecting dramatic events through modern dance movements. The Apsara Fire Dance served as an intermediate sequence, bridging dramatic scenes through choreography modeled after Khmer bas-relief imagery. The Thai Remembrance Dance was employed as a closing piece, designed to inspire audiences prior to the continuation of the play, drawing upon ballet techniques. Collectively, these three dances were instrumental in enhancing theatrical spectacle, intensifying dramatic emotion, and leaving a profound aesthetic impression upon audiences.