Lakhon Bassac
| Lakhon Bassac | |
|---|---|
| Khmer name | ល្ខោនបាសាក់ |
| Also known as | Lakon Bassak; Lakhaon Bassac; Lakhaon Treoung Klok |
| Practice type | Performing art |
| Usual occasion | Special occasions and religious festivals |
| Subjects | Dance & Theatre |
| Creator pages | Sang Sarun |
Lakhon Bassac is a performing-art tradition practised in Cambodia and Khmer communities. (Wikipedia)
Practice
Lakhon Bassac is a spoken and sung Cambodian theatre combining singing dialogue, rhythmic dance gestures, acrobatics, fighting, comic roles, and spectacular character types such as giants. Its repertory includes Jataka stories, local legends, and romantic, mythical, religious, historical, and Arab narratives. Musical accompaniment uses instruments including drums, gongs, chimes, and wood blocks, while costumes and face painting show Chinese and Vietnamese opera influence. (Wikipedia; The Phnom Penh Post)
History
The form originated as Lakhon Treoung Klok in the Bassac region of Kampuchea Krom and was brought to Phnom Penh and other provinces in the 1930s by the troupe patron Ly Suon, after which it became known as Lakhon Bassac. It flourished in the mid-20th century, was strongly promoted by performers including Sang Sarun and Chek Mach in the 1960s, and was revived with other Cambodian performing arts in 1982 after many artists had died. The supplied accounts differ on its treatment under the Khmer Rouge: one says it was co-opted for propaganda, while another says it was entirely obliterated. (Wikipedia; The Phnom Penh Post)
Variations
Performances may adapt stories from China, Vietnam, and France, and dances are often popularized versions of Lakhon Kbach Boran. Troupes vary in presentation, from large professional groups to amateur festival performances and hand-built outdoor stages. (Wikipedia; The Phnom Penh Post)
Communities and practitioners
Khmer professional and amateur performers maintain the form, including the Ol Sam Ang collective and surviving troupes. Audiences in Cambodian cities, rural provinces, and religious-festival communities continue to attend performances, although the tradition has difficulty attracting younger leading performers. (Wikipedia; The Phnom Penh Post)