BANGKOK — In 1986, a Thai-American student’s body was found east of Bangkok in a case that would spawn tawdry headlines about her love life and wrongful convictions of innocent men.
A true crime story taking inspiration from Sherry Ann Duncan’s murder takes the stage Friday in a film-noir stage play at Thong Lor Art Space that and film noir, a prolific dramatist stages a detective performance launching Friday.
“Dans Le Noir” is the story of three strangers who get wrapped in the mysterious murder of a German expat in Bangkok. One, a young waiter, becomes the prime suspect after discovering the dead body. Another is the detective who was the German’s former lover. Rounding out the cast is an actress who has to take the role of the murdered expat in a film dramatization.
“Dans Le Noir” brings cinema onto the stage. Visual artist Chulayarnnon Siriphol is in charge of a motion picture which provides narration of the past in parallel with the present story told by the actors’ performances.
After 30 years in the world of theatre and 50 productions under his name, director Damkerng Thitapiyasak was inspired by the mystic nature of film noir and the infamous murder case of 1980s that leads to the imprisonment of scapegoats in his latest detective piece. Starring in his work are Pramote Sangsorn, Kwankaew Kongnisai AKA Lukkaew The Voice and Wisarut Himmarut.
“Dans le Noir” is part of the “First Scene With…” project, which hosts talks by artists, writers, directors, musicians and celebrities from various fields after each show, allowing the audience to broaden their artistic and cultural horizons. The talk schedule can be found online.
The ticket price is 590 baht. A 100 baht discount promotion is offered to those who pay in advance, while students can purchase tickets at 440 baht through advanced payment. Reservations can be made via the Thong Lor Art Space Facebook page, through Line ID @thonglorartspace, or by calling 095-924-4555.
The play is in Thai with English surtitles and runs at 8pm on Friday and Saturday while the Sunday show is at 4pm. Performed until Oct. 9, it will be hosted at the Thong Lor Art Space, which is a five-minute walk from BTS Thong Lo Station’s Exit 3.
