The drama of Korea! It's very good
A vast, purpose-built theatre, an hour’s drive from central Bangkok, Siam Niramit stages a cultural show that is as monumental and lavish as any Las Vegas has to offer. And since it’s family-oriented, there are no topless or scantily clad dancers á la Patpong here.
The 150 performers of Siam Niramit: Journey into the Enchanted Kingdom easily outshine those of the Lido or Folie Bergere’s cast of 40.
Opened in 2006, the 4ha Siam Niramit has three restaurants that can accommodate 1,000 diners, while its theatre can seat 2,000. The show begins at 8pm every evening, but try to get here by 6pm so you can have dinner and explore the mini-theme park adjacent to the theatre.
It is an entire village replete with boathouse, jetty and sampan that invites visitors to take a mini-cruise.
“This cultural village features the main regions of Thailand and showcases our cultural diversity,” explains general manager Suriya Songsomboon.
“There are traditional weavers, artists, craftsmen and villagers cooking local delicacies, which are offered to visitors. There is even a typical Malay kampung house from southern Thailand similar to the ones in Kelantan.”
There are elephant rides and dancers too, though they can hardly find time to perform since they are forever posing with tourists. Foot and body masseurs are at hand, if you have the time.
“Siam Niramit: Journey into the Enchanted Kingdom is one of the best shows in the world!” exclaims Suriya proudly, waving his arms expansively at the hordes of tourists.
“The stage is listed as the world’s largest by the Guinness Book of World Records at 65mx40mx12m. Each night sees a change of some 500 costumes so the backstage is even bigger! There are 100 technical and stage crew, and the special effects utilise the world’s most advanced technology. It cost US$40mil to set up Siam Niramit; if this were in Europe, the cost would be at least doubled.”
The spectacular aerial flights in the show alone require a backstage team of 40, and that is how the angels defy gravity and an apsara (Buddhist angel) is able to fly halfway across the vast auditorium to scatter petals on the audience.
The show is done in three parts, each with several scenes. The opening act is so awesome it takes your breath away.
Act 1: Journey into history
Journey Back to History opens with a stunning recreation of the ancient kingdom of Lanna. The stage is so vast, we in the audience have to keep turning our heads left and right especially when the action takes place simultaneously on both sides.
What is the show like?
Think Cirque du Soleil, Italian grand opera, Mak Yong, The King and I, Bangkok’s Grand Palace, the Ramayana and Thai classical dancers who have been attended to by Las Vegas costumiers, and you get the drift! The theatres in London’s West End and Broadway seem like poor cousins after such a massive overdose of over-the-top drama.
We see a parade of gorgeously costumed courtiers accompanying the Queen, who is carried on a palanquin towards the central stage where she greets the King. The royal couple then go to worship the relics of the Lord Buddha, accompanied by a retinue that might just turn Cecil DeMille green with envy.
The elephant makes its first appearance as the mode of transport for His Majesty. The King and Queen enjoy the revelry and release khomloi (or lanterns) meant to take all sorrows and misfortune away. Of course, the red lanterns take to the air and magically float skywards.
Next comes the southern kingdoms of Sri Wichai and Sri Thammarat. Thai Buddhists and Malay Muslims are seen living in harmony amidst silhouettes of wats and mosques and enjoying traditional games, singing and dancing. Chinese traders arrive in a junk from the South China Sea to barter, and a sailor falls in love with a local damsel and jumps ship.
The Khmer civilisation then makes a dazzling début.
Issan villagers conduct the religious ceremony of Boon Phawet in front of the Phra That Phanom temple when suddenly, the castle of Prasat Hin Phanom Rang appears.
As rays of sunlight filter through the doors, the many carved stone apsara slowly come to life! In scenes reminiscent of Lara Croft; Tomb Raider, the Khmer stone sculptures stir and walk out of their arched niches.
Life on the central plains and along the canals is simple and pleasant. Terraced rice fields suddenly burst from green to gold as they ripen in the blink of an eye. More theatrical magic is revealed: a canal filled with water flows across the stage. It is deep enough for a peasant character to actually jump in for a dip!
Villagers on sampans paddle by nonchalantly and a tropical thunderstorm is re-enacted as rain cascades from the 12m high ceiling.
In Ayutthaya, the ancient Thai capital, court life is rich and extravagant. A delegation from the Netherlands arrives presenting documents and gifts. Even more impressive is the arrival of the golden royal barges.
Act 2: Journey Beyond Imagination
This second act boasts Siam Niramit’s most mind-numbing special effects and costumes. The first scene is Fiery Hell, a depiction of hell as seen through Buddhist eyes.
All the dreadful tortures carved on temple walls are shown. Adulterers climb trees whose trunks are covered in thorns, alcoholics are punished by being dunked into a giant vat filled with boiling water, while liars have their tongues pulled out.
A most beautiful scene follows in the form of the mystical Himapaan, a strange borderland between the human world and the heavenly realm. It is home to all manner of mythical flora, fauna and divinities.
Angels flit gracefully through the firmaments, waving their arms elegantly and flapping their wings effortlessly, as the kinaree, half-human and half-bird, pay homage to them.
Flying solo or in pairs, the celestial apsara truly seem to defy gravity. The phanonmarek, half-monkey and half-deer, are then seen cavorting beneath the Naripol tree, which bears fruits when auspicious events are coming.
A little drama unfolds as the nasty demon Ramasoon throws his axe in anger when he fails to steal a gigantic diamond from Mekala, goddess of the sea. Ramasoon’s axe creates thunder and, in defence, Mekala uses her magical diamond to blur Ramasoon’s vision, causing lightning.
The story then takes us to Daow Wa Dueng, the second tier of heaven presided over by the great god Indra and his consort. Demi-gods play music as more apsara fly down from the upper reaches of heaven, carrying sacred banners and fans.
The concluding scene has all the angels in a halo formation above Indra as he takes his leave in a magnificent chariot.
The 150 performers of Siam Niramit: Journey into the Enchanted Kingdom easily outshine those of the Lido or Folie Bergere’s cast of 40.
Opened in 2006, the 4ha Siam Niramit has three restaurants that can accommodate 1,000 diners, while its theatre can seat 2,000. The show begins at 8pm every evening, but try to get here by 6pm so you can have dinner and explore the mini-theme park adjacent to the theatre.
It is an entire village replete with boathouse, jetty and sampan that invites visitors to take a mini-cruise.
“This cultural village features the main regions of Thailand and showcases our cultural diversity,” explains general manager Suriya Songsomboon.
“There are traditional weavers, artists, craftsmen and villagers cooking local delicacies, which are offered to visitors. There is even a typical Malay kampung house from southern Thailand similar to the ones in Kelantan.”
There are elephant rides and dancers too, though they can hardly find time to perform since they are forever posing with tourists. Foot and body masseurs are at hand, if you have the time.
“Siam Niramit: Journey into the Enchanted Kingdom is one of the best shows in the world!” exclaims Suriya proudly, waving his arms expansively at the hordes of tourists.
“The stage is listed as the world’s largest by the Guinness Book of World Records at 65mx40mx12m. Each night sees a change of some 500 costumes so the backstage is even bigger! There are 100 technical and stage crew, and the special effects utilise the world’s most advanced technology. It cost US$40mil to set up Siam Niramit; if this were in Europe, the cost would be at least doubled.”
The spectacular aerial flights in the show alone require a backstage team of 40, and that is how the angels defy gravity and an apsara (Buddhist angel) is able to fly halfway across the vast auditorium to scatter petals on the audience.
The show is done in three parts, each with several scenes. The opening act is so awesome it takes your breath away.
Act 1: Journey into history
Journey Back to History opens with a stunning recreation of the ancient kingdom of Lanna. The stage is so vast, we in the audience have to keep turning our heads left and right especially when the action takes place simultaneously on both sides.
What is the show like?
Think Cirque du Soleil, Italian grand opera, Mak Yong, The King and I, Bangkok’s Grand Palace, the Ramayana and Thai classical dancers who have been attended to by Las Vegas costumiers, and you get the drift! The theatres in London’s West End and Broadway seem like poor cousins after such a massive overdose of over-the-top drama.
We see a parade of gorgeously costumed courtiers accompanying the Queen, who is carried on a palanquin towards the central stage where she greets the King. The royal couple then go to worship the relics of the Lord Buddha, accompanied by a retinue that might just turn Cecil DeMille green with envy.
The elephant makes its first appearance as the mode of transport for His Majesty. The King and Queen enjoy the revelry and release khomloi (or lanterns) meant to take all sorrows and misfortune away. Of course, the red lanterns take to the air and magically float skywards.
Next comes the southern kingdoms of Sri Wichai and Sri Thammarat. Thai Buddhists and Malay Muslims are seen living in harmony amidst silhouettes of wats and mosques and enjoying traditional games, singing and dancing. Chinese traders arrive in a junk from the South China Sea to barter, and a sailor falls in love with a local damsel and jumps ship.
The Khmer civilisation then makes a dazzling début.
Issan villagers conduct the religious ceremony of Boon Phawet in front of the Phra That Phanom temple when suddenly, the castle of Prasat Hin Phanom Rang appears.
As rays of sunlight filter through the doors, the many carved stone apsara slowly come to life! In scenes reminiscent of Lara Croft; Tomb Raider, the Khmer stone sculptures stir and walk out of their arched niches.
Life on the central plains and along the canals is simple and pleasant. Terraced rice fields suddenly burst from green to gold as they ripen in the blink of an eye. More theatrical magic is revealed: a canal filled with water flows across the stage. It is deep enough for a peasant character to actually jump in for a dip!
Villagers on sampans paddle by nonchalantly and a tropical thunderstorm is re-enacted as rain cascades from the 12m high ceiling.
In Ayutthaya, the ancient Thai capital, court life is rich and extravagant. A delegation from the Netherlands arrives presenting documents and gifts. Even more impressive is the arrival of the golden royal barges.
Act 2: Journey Beyond Imagination
This second act boasts Siam Niramit’s most mind-numbing special effects and costumes. The first scene is Fiery Hell, a depiction of hell as seen through Buddhist eyes.
All the dreadful tortures carved on temple walls are shown. Adulterers climb trees whose trunks are covered in thorns, alcoholics are punished by being dunked into a giant vat filled with boiling water, while liars have their tongues pulled out.
A most beautiful scene follows in the form of the mystical Himapaan, a strange borderland between the human world and the heavenly realm. It is home to all manner of mythical flora, fauna and divinities.
Angels flit gracefully through the firmaments, waving their arms elegantly and flapping their wings effortlessly, as the kinaree, half-human and half-bird, pay homage to them.
Flying solo or in pairs, the celestial apsara truly seem to defy gravity. The phanonmarek, half-monkey and half-deer, are then seen cavorting beneath the Naripol tree, which bears fruits when auspicious events are coming.
A little drama unfolds as the nasty demon Ramasoon throws his axe in anger when he fails to steal a gigantic diamond from Mekala, goddess of the sea. Ramasoon’s axe creates thunder and, in defence, Mekala uses her magical diamond to blur Ramasoon’s vision, causing lightning.
The story then takes us to Daow Wa Dueng, the second tier of heaven presided over by the great god Indra and his consort. Demi-gods play music as more apsara fly down from the upper reaches of heaven, carrying sacred banners and fans.
The concluding scene has all the angels in a halo formation above Indra as he takes his leave in a magnificent chariot.
Act 3: Journey through Joyous Festivals
After the heavenly depictions, the show comes back down to earth to celebrate the many festivals of the Thai, including Songkran, the water festival and Loy Krathong, a cleansing festival where lotus-shaped lanterns, sometimes filled with the hair and nails of devotees, are placed on rivers to be floated away.
The canal, naturally, makes another appearance so the lanterns can bob away.
Making merit while enjoying life’s pleasant moments is imbedded in Thai culture, which effortlessly combines religious ceremonies with bawdy, down-to-earth merrymaking. And Siam Niramit captures this.
As the show comes to an end, the performers stride down from the stage to invite guests to dance. And for a fitting finale, an elephant trundles into the aisle in the middle of the hall where we are seated! Behind the jumbo is a minion carrying a pan lest it poops!
Niramit means “miraculous”, and by the end of the show, most in the audience tend to agree.
By: Kim Hee Tea
After the heavenly depictions, the show comes back down to earth to celebrate the many festivals of the Thai, including Songkran, the water festival and Loy Krathong, a cleansing festival where lotus-shaped lanterns, sometimes filled with the hair and nails of devotees, are placed on rivers to be floated away.
The canal, naturally, makes another appearance so the lanterns can bob away.
Making merit while enjoying life’s pleasant moments is imbedded in Thai culture, which effortlessly combines religious ceremonies with bawdy, down-to-earth merrymaking. And Siam Niramit captures this.
As the show comes to an end, the performers stride down from the stage to invite guests to dance. And for a fitting finale, an elephant trundles into the aisle in the middle of the hall where we are seated! Behind the jumbo is a minion carrying a pan lest it poops!
Niramit means “miraculous”, and by the end of the show, most in the audience tend to agree.
By: Kim Hee Tea
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