A spirited novelist in the vanguard of contemporary Thai literature, novelist Uthis Haemamool, has won high accolades internationally for his brilliant examinations of the identity and psyche of individuals living in today's Asia. Toshiki Okada, playwright and director of the theatrical company chelfitsch, quickly became a focus of attention throughout the world of theater for his style incorporating the daily doings and mindset of Japanese youth into an updated version of contemporary theater. He has since staged works reflecting his keen insights into contemporary society at major festivals and theaters inside and outside Japan. These two creators are collaborating for the first time in the making of "Pratthana - A Portrait of Possession," a theatrical adaptation of Haemamool's latest novel by Okada. The protagonist of the narrative is a lone painter who lives in Bangkok. He struggles while searching for himself in his artistic activities and the surrounding social context, and goes through various encounters and losses. In the temporal flow from the 1990s to the present, the play vividly depicts the psyche and sexual feelings of the characters, with echoes of the history of and political changes in the society they inhabit. In so doing, it poses the fundamental question of just what it means to live. The play is performed by 11 extremely talented actors who were selected through auditions held in Bangkok. Yuya Tsukahara, a member of contact Gonzo, discharges the role of scenographer and handles the spatial design. The assistant director is Wichaya Artamat, a director coming to the fore who is based in Bangkok and is active in For What Theatre and other groups. The play will have the additional support of other creators who are coming together from Thailand and Japan.

*A special website for “Pratthana - A Portrait of Possession” http://pratthana.net