Joe Louis Puppet Theatre, the last of the kingdom’s traditional Thai small puppets troupe, was awarded the ‘Best Traditional Performance Award’ in recognition of the troupe’s presentation of The Myth of Rahu and the Lunar Eclipse at the 10th World Festival of Puppet Art held in Prague, Czech Republic, during June 1-10, 2006.

The seven categories in the competition are: The Best Performance; The Best Artistic Creation, The Best Original Performance, The Best Scenery and Puppet Design, The Best Director, The Best Actor, The Best Animation and The Best Traditional Performance.

The subject of lunar and solar eclipses never ceases to fascinate young and old alike.
The Myth of Rahu and the Lunar Eclipse, the new theatrical production by the Joe Louis Hun Lakhon Lek traditional Thai puppet troupe, explores the mystique associated with this awe-inspiring phenomenon.

Photo © Joe Louis Theater

Thai theatrical puppetry is unique among the various forms of puppetry in that it is derived from the traditional Thai khon theatre — a highly sophisticated and stylised form of staged entertainment with dancing, singing and music. The Joe Louis puppet play is performed by three puppeteers jointly controlling one puppet and all of whom appear on stage with the puppet thereby creating highly animated, life-like movements. This enables the puppet to move or dance gracefully. Each of the puppeteers is a khon performer in his or her own right. The Traditional Thai Puppet Theatre Company is the only troupe of Thai theatrical puppeteers in existence. It remains the sole guardian of this dying art form: the directors and senior members of the troupe are direct artistic successors of the founder of Thai theatrical puppetry. Performances are as unique as they are authentic.

Performances at the Traditional Thai Puppet Theatre are a showcase for Thailand’s cultural heritage and reflect the unstinting efforts of the troupe to preserve and perpetuate this exotic art form. The most popular play performed by the Joe Louis puppet troupe is the famous "Ramayana" epic (Ramakien in Thai), regularly performed in Thailand and the countries of South and Southeast Asia.

Avatara refers to the descent or incarnation of a god in the form of a human or animal. For example, Rama is the human form of the god, Vishnu, who is known as Phra Narai in Thai.

The story begins with Turawat the wizard enjoying a stroll in the garden in heaven. Here he encounters an angel who offers him a floral garland. He was ecstatic. The senior god, Phra Inn happens to pass by riding on the back of an elephant. Turawat presents the floral garland to Phra Inn, who thanks Turawat and places the garland on the elephant’s head.

The floral scent of the garland is so overpowering, the elephant goes into musk. It takes the garland off its head, throws it to the ground and crushes it with its feet.

Witnessing this, Turawat believes that the elephant has acted on the command of Phra Inn. Turawat is gravely offended and casts a spell on all deities to reduce their powers.

The puppet performance of the myth of Rahu and the lunar eclipse begins with the invasion of heaven by demons or asura, enemy of the gods. The demons and the deities are locked in a perpetual conflict. Weakened by the spell cast on them, the deities lose every battle they fight. The scene changes. Phra Narai is asleep on the coiled body of Phraya Naak (Naga)— the King of Serpents. Phra Narai is awakened and told of the catastrophe. Phra Narai states that he is unable to undo the spell and advises the deities to go in search of Amarit, the elixir of life or ambrosia. Amarit, the elixir of life, is difficult to obtain. The deities and demons had to call a temporary truce and work together to obtain the elixir. News of the truce and the quest for Amarit spreads. Rahu, the demon, hears about the Amarit. He sneaks over to the site where the elixir is being produced and awaits the opportunity to seize it. Amarit is made by churning the Sea of Milk, using Mount Mandara as a pivot. The demons think that they too should be able to drink the elixir. During the churning of the Sea of Milk, the Naga is in agony and spits venom and fire. The demons are afraid. In order to prevent the process from being interrupted, the god Isuan swallows the venom and fire. He scorches his throat but the churning continues. The weight of the mountain with its inverted apex bearing down on the ocean floor cracks the ocean bed and milk leaks out. To plug the leak, the god Narai transforms himself into a giant turtle and places himself at the inverted apex of the mountain to prevent it from sinking into the ground. The leak is successfully sealed and the process of churning continues. Kurma-avatara refers to one of the avatars or incarnations of the god, Vishnu or Phra Narai as the giant turtle — Kurma.

The demons immediately make a grab for the elixir. The deities try to prevent them from doing so. Narai transforms himself into a beautiful maiden to distract the demons. While the demons focus their attention on the ‘maiden’, the deities quickly drink the elixir. Realizing that they had been tricked, the demons attack the deities. Now that the deities have regained their power and are powerful and immortal, the demons lose the fight.

During all this time, Rahu had been standing by waiting for the opportune moment to snatch the elixir. As the demons and deities battle it out, Rahu seizes the elixir and drinks it. The Moon and the Sun spot Rahu drinking the elixir and reports this to Narai.

Narai confronts Rahu and throws his crystal chakra disk at the demon, severing the demon’s body in half. However as Rahu has drunk some of the elixir, he does not perish.

Rahu spends eternity floating around in the sky. He swears vengeance on the Moon and Sun and whenever he sees either of the two, he tries to swallow it. This, according to ancient folk belief, is the mythological cause of the lunar and solar eclipses.

From April 3 through to June 2006, The Myth of Rahu and the Lunar Eclipse will be accompanied by traditional Thai music performed live by a phi phat ensemble.

SPECIAL MENUS AT THE NATASALA HUN LAKHON LEK RESTAURANT
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RESERVATIONS
THE MYTH OF RAHU AND THE LUNAR ECLIPSE
Reservations can be made directly at Joe Louis Theatre box office
Tel: +66 (0) 2252 9683/ 4
Fax: +66 (0) 2252 9685
Email: joelouistheater_pr@hotmail.com
Web site: http://www.joelouis-theater.com/eng/

The Joe Louis Traditional Thai Puppet Theatre moved to a new home at Suan-Lum Night Bazaar, on the corner of the Witthayu-Rama IV Road intersection, where daily shows are performed.

The theatre opens from 13.00 to 21.30 everyday with a daily performance starting at 19.30.

Please make reservations prior to 16.00 on the day of the show and please pick up your tickets in person by 18.00 on the day of the show.
Office Hours:
Mon. – Fri. 09:30 – 21.30
Sat. – Sun. 13.00 – 21.30
Ticket price
Non-Thai (Adults): 900 Baht
Non-Thai (Age 7 - Age 15): 300 Baht
Children under 7 years of age: Free

LOCATION & MAP

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Joe Louis Theatre
Bangkok Suan-lum Night Bazaar
1875 Rama IV Road, Lumpini, Pathumwan
Bangkok 10330

	Bus No. 50, 14, 47, 17, 115
	BTS Sky Train, Saladaeng station then Bus No. 115
	Private car: Express way, Exit Rama IV, U-Turn under the Thai-Belgium bridge

THE JOE LOUIS THEATRE
At Suan-Lum Night Bazaar 1875
featuring Hun Lakhon Lek Traditional Thai small puppets
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10th World Festival of Puppet Art, Prague
Web site: www.puppetart.com/prizes2006.htm