Lakhon nai
Encyclopedia
Lakhon nai is a performing art originating in the royal court of Thailand
(formerly Siam). It features a slow choreography accompanied by a piphat
ensemble enacted with epic poems such as that of Inao (Panji
) and Unarut (Aniruddha
). A variation of this genre with male performers is called lakhon nai phu chai .
of the 15th century; it later adapted dramatic aspects from lakhon nok (a fork of lakhon chatri) during the 1750s. Lakhon nai itself would later become the main influence on the classical court dance (Royal Ballet of Cambodia) in Cambodia during the 19th century. Lakhon nai came to be in its present form during the 18th century when the story of Inao became an important part of the repertoire.
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
(formerly Siam). It features a slow choreography accompanied by a piphat
Piphat
A piphat is a kind of ensemble in the classical music of Thailand, which features wind and percussion instruments. It is considered the primary form of ensemble for the interpretation of the most sacred and "high-class" compositions of the Thai classical repertoire, including the Buddhist...
ensemble enacted with epic poems such as that of Inao (Panji
Panji (prince)
Panji was a legendary prince in East Java, Indonesia. His life has formed the basis of a cycle of Javanese stories. Along with the Ramayana and Mahabharata, this cycle is the basis of various poems and a genre of wayang known as wayang gedog -- "gedog" meaning "mask"...
) and Unarut (Aniruddha
Aniruddha
Aniruddha , meaning "uncontrolled" or "without obstacles", was the son of Pradyumna and the grandson of Krishna. He is said to have been very much like his grandfather, to the extent that he may be a jana avatar. The four important Vishnu extensions are Vasudeva, Sankarsana, Pradyumna, and...
). A variation of this genre with male performers is called lakhon nai phu chai .
Etymology
Lakhon nai is believed to be a contraction of lakhon nang nai (ละครนางใน), or 'theatre of the women of the palace.' It was also known as lakhon khang nai (ละครข้างใน, lit., theatre of the inner court) and lakhon nai phra ratchathan (ละครในพระราชฐาน, lit., theatre of [belonging to] the King).History
According to James R. Brandon, lakhon nai stems from the court dance tradition of CambodiaKhmer Empire
The Khmer Empire was one of the most powerful empires in Southeast Asia. The empire, which grew out of the former kingdom of Chenla, at times ruled over and/or vassalized parts of modern-day Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, Burma, and Malaysia. Its greatest legacy is Angkor, the site of the capital city...
of the 15th century; it later adapted dramatic aspects from lakhon nok (a fork of lakhon chatri) during the 1750s. Lakhon nai itself would later become the main influence on the classical court dance (Royal Ballet of Cambodia) in Cambodia during the 19th century. Lakhon nai came to be in its present form during the 18th century when the story of Inao became an important part of the repertoire.