A live performance by Puangsoi Aksornsawang with Prim Patnasiri, Ornanong Thaisriwong, Prapamonton Eiamchan,
Wasu Wanrayangkoon, Parinee Buthrasri and baitong~xystems
Round 1: Friday, July 12, 2024
Round 2: Saturday, July 13, 2024
Round 3: Sunday, July 14, 2024
Showtime: 18:00–19:15 (75 minutes)
BANGKOK CITYCITY GALLERY is proud to present ‘A Draft of Dead Birds’, the first live performance by Puangsoi Aksornsawang, inspired by a book called ‘Muang Malai’ (เมืองมลาย). At its core, this performance delves into the narrative of a writer known as ‘Wayla’. He recounts his strange experiences through the intertwining narratives of Thai characters in three cities: Berlin, Bangkok, and Singapore. The common thread linking these characters is the discovery of a dead bird on the balconies. Each landscape bears its own poignant tale of existence, disappearance, decay, oblivion, belonging, or perhaps even liberation, all of which linger vividly in Wayla’s memory.
Before the show, you will receive a book of ‘Muang Malai’, granting you the freedom to interpret its contents and engage with it as if authorized by the author. Whether you take on a role as a director, actor, or audience member, the act of reading becomes a dynamic interplay between projection and reality. Whether you rehearse beforehand or follow along during the performance, the collision of ideas and imagination with unfolding reality sparks an exploration of the interplay between text, visual storytelling, the filmmaking process, potential surrounding events, all within the immersive atmosphere of casting.
After the success of the feature film Nakorn-Sawan, Aksornsawang had the idea of creating another movie titled ‘I Open a Curtain to See a Dead Bird.’ However, due to various limitations, the project has been stuck in the development process since then. Aksornsawang attempted to explore the feasibility of this project. It was initially introduced in 2020 at the BANGKOK CITYCITY GALLERY during the event ‘Don’t Clap for the Rehearsal’ under the title ‘Remain to Be Seen, 2020.’ The project, based on story casting amidst the rehearsal process, expanded through activities such as reading aloud, speaking, acting, and projection through display. Subsequently, it was further extended during a workshop A: creator’s lab by B-Floor Theatre.
In this live performance, Aksornsawang has chosen to return to the same space where the initial experimentation took place. She views the casting process as a bridge connecting the relationship between nonfiction and fictional narratives, personal and collective stories. Throughout the three acts of the performance, there remains a distinctiveness even though the actors hold the same script. The intrigue lies in the repetition and reinvention that arises from the actors who embody their roles. They design, unleash their imagination, and grapple with being themselves or their characters. In addition to the actors, there is also an added dimension of live score and video elements to enhance the performance.
The narrative piece of the fragments is akin to the symptoms interconnected within the collective, which are loosely attached to each other and this flow. It fuses a variety of methods and experiences together. The lingering question in Aksornsawang’s assumption and that of the co-creators of this experience remains: will they find an answer? It’s challenging to predict what will unfold within the art gallery. It might lead to a conclusion or serve as a preface to something new for Aksornsawang in ‘A Draft of Dead Birds’
