Dance and Theater

Traditional Thai Theater consist of six dramatics forms:

Khon - formal masked dance-drama depicting scenes from the Ramakain (the Thai Version of India's Ramayana) and only perform on the royal court performances.

Lakorn - a general term covering several types of dance-drama (usually for non-royal occasions) as well as Western theatre.

Li-keh (Likay) - a partly improvised, often bawdy folk play featuring dancing, comedy, melodrama, and music.

Manohraa or Nora - this is southern Thailand' s equivalent to Likeh and is the oldest surviving Thai dance drama. The basic story line bears some similarities to the Ramayana.

Nang - limited in southern Thailand - in which two - dimensional figures are manipulated between a cloth screen and a light source at nighttime performances - has been a Southeast Asian traditional for perhaps five centuries.

Lakorn Lek or Hun Luang - Like Khon, was once reserved for court performances Meter-high marionettes made of Khoi paper and wire, wearing elaborate costumes modeled on those of those the Khon, are used to convey similar themes, music and dance movements.