Authentic Cambodian Performance
The evening of April 5th is going to be the perfect prelude to this year’s Cambodian New Year season. Directed and choreographed by a woman with bona fide ‘heart-and-soul’ of Khmer theater, Sophiline Cheam Shapiro and her company, the Khmer Arts Ensemble will be transporting their Northrop Dance audience at the State Theatre straight into a stirring tale aptly named, A Bend in the River. Speaking for myself, living in a place with a modest population of Cambodian residents, this particularly authentic performance will be a rare treat! It’s not often one gets to see a giant rattan crocodile carry out a performance.
A Bend in the River is a modern take on a Cambodian traditional village tale wrought with love, calamity, retribution, aftermath, and redemption. This enthralling piece will be performed by Cambodia’s celebrated music and dance troupe, Khmer Arts Ensemble. This troupe is comes all the way from the Khmer Arts Theater located in Takhmao, Cambodia. (It really doesn’t get more authentic than that.) Fifteen dancers from this renowned troupe will perform the piece, while singers and instrumentalists will set the mood of each scene. The musical score will utilize traditional pin peat instruments like xylophones, gong-circles, and drums. Orchestrated by Him Sophy, the heavily percussion based orchestra will impart an array of emotions onto each scenario. What excites me the most about this particular play are two stars of the show, the giant rattan crocodiles crafted by Sopheap Pich. The way these two splendid puppets will submerge the viewer in the story will be way beyond words!
-Guest post from Veasna Chak, Senior Advisor of U of MN Cambodian Student Association of Minnesota
