Asian Theatre Journal

Abstract:

Cambodia's spoken drama, lakhorn niyeay, did not receive the same resuscitation for the arts after the Khmer Rouge genocide that was given to traditional dance and music at the end of the twentieth century. It is currently getting more attention from the country's main arts NGO, Cambodia Living Arts, as well as support from the French Institute's Cultural Center, and Meta House affiliated with the Goethe Institute. In addition, two local directors, Jean-Baptist Phou and Sopheak Soung, have been particularly active in staging spoken dramas, developing the form in workshops, and promoting it in the school system. They build upon lakhorn niyeay's realistic style and socio-political critique to address social ills and aspirations, but at the same time, they are trying to improve the form's storytelling techniques to attract new audiences and establish a ticket-buying public for local arts.