Thailand: A Siamese theatre troupe and band perform in the courtyard of the Royal Palace during a tonsure ceremony for a prince, c. 1900.

The Siamese were avid theatre-goers at the turn of the 20th century. Mime, dance, plays and shadow puppetry were all very popular. Many of the stage plays involved dancers, mostly female, who adorned themselves in jewellery and exhibited lithe movements portraying beauty and flexibility, especially in bending the fingers back. The most common plays were called ‘khon’, which essentially feature scenes from the ‘Ramakien’, the Thai version of the Hindu epic ‘The Ramayana’.

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Supplier: CPA Media Co. Ltd.

Credit:

Pictures From History

Theme:

RAMAYANA