A Draft of Dead Birds

BANGKOK CITYCITY GALLERY is proud to present ‘A Draft of Dead Birds’, the first theatre performance directed by Puangsoi Aksornsawang, inspired by a book called ‘I open a curtain to see a dead bird. (เมืองมลาย)’. At its core, this performance delves into the narrative of a writer known as ‘Wayla’. He recounts his strange experiences through the intertwining narratives of Thai characters in three cities: Berlin, Bangkok, and Singapore. The common thread linking these characters is the discovery of a dead bird on the balconies. Each landscape bears its own poignant tale of existence, disappearance, decay, oblivion, belonging, or perhaps even liberation, all of which linger vividly in Wayla’s memory.

Before the show, you’ll receive a book of ‘I open a curtain to see a dead bird.’, granting you the freedom to interpret its contents and engage with it as if authorized by the author. Whether you take on a role as a director, actor, or audience member, the act of reading becomes a dynamic interplay between projection and reality. Whether you rehearse beforehand or follow along during the performance, the collision of ideas and imagination with unfolding reality sparks an exploration of the interplay between text, visual storytelling, the filmmaking process, potential surrounding events, all within the immersive atmosphere of casting.

After the success of the feature film ‘Nakorn-Sawan’, Puangsoi had the idea of creating another movie titled ‘I Open a Curtain to See a Dead Bird.’ However, due to various limitations, the project has been stuck in the development process since then. Puangsoi attempted to explore the feasibility of this project. It was initially introduced in 2020 at the BANGKOK CITYCITY GALLERY during the event ‘Don’t Clap for the Rehearsal’ under the title ‘Remain to Be Seen, 2020.’ The project, based on story casting amidst the rehearsal process, expanded through activities such as reading aloud, speaking, acting, and projection through display. Subsequently, it was further extended during a workshop A: creator’s lab by B-Floor Theatre.

In this performance, Puangsoi has chosen to return to the same space where the initial experimentation took place. She views the casting process as a bridge connecting the relationship between nonfiction and fictional narratives, personal and collective stories. Throughout the three acts of the performance, there remains a distinctiveness even though the actors hold the same script. The intrigue lies in the repetition and reinvention that arises from the actors who embody their roles. They design, unleash their imagination, and grapple with being themselves or their characters. In addition to the actors, there is also an added dimension of live score and video elements to enhance the performance.

The narrative piece of the fragments is akin to the symptoms interconnected within the collective, which are loosely attached to each other and this flow. It fuses a variety of methods and experiences together. The lingering question in Puangsoi’s assumption and that of the co-creators of this experience remains: will they find an answer? It’s challenging to predict what will unfold within the art gallery. It might lead to a conclusion or serve as a preface to something new for Puangsoi in ‘A Draft of Dead Birds’

Puangsoi Aksornsawang
Puangsoi Aksornsawang is a director, a writer and a scriptwriter. In 2014, she received the academic DAAD scholarship and completed her Master of Fine Arts from the University of the Arts Hamburg in 2018. Her debut feature ‘Nakorn-Sawan’ (2018) premiered at the Busan International Film Festival 2018. The film won the Taipei Golden Horse’s Observation Mission for Asian Cinema Award, and has screened at various international film festivals.

For more information: exhibition@bangkokcitycity.com

Note:
• The performance is conducted in Thai.
• For those interested in acquiring the ‘I open a curtain to see a dead bird. (เมืองมลาย)’ book separately, orders can be placed at https://bookshoplibrary.com/ for a price of 350 baht per book.