Alitta

The Joe Louis puppet or ‘Thai Traditional Small Puppet Show’ is a priceless art form which is very extraordinary and impressively wonderful. The Thai Traditional Puppetry was created by Sakorn Yangkhiawsod, a talented puppet master who started making the first puppet in his life when he was 20 years old and awarded an honour prize of National Artist in 1996.

The puppet play is such a unique performance which can be found nowhere else but Thailand. The Joe Louis puppets are more than the moving toys but they are alive! The puppets are controlled by three manipulators who surprisingly make lifelike human movements. One of the manipulators controls one trunk and arm, the second person takes care of the other arm and the last one who usually stays in the middle deals with both legs. All the manipulators must be well trained in Khon dance and the harmony is really required among them.

The most common play performed by this Thai traditional small puppet show is a well-known epic called Ramayana. The audiences are guaranteed a breathtaking show while watching the Joe Louis puppets moving. They can do a lot of human gestures and also express their feelings which incredibly convince the audiences that they are truly alive. The puppets are human look alike, the onely difference is that they can’t breathe.

The Joe Louis has been performed in many countries around the world and earned several honour awards. Suan-Lum Night Bazaar is home to the Joe Louis Theater where you can experience the fantastic daily performance of those puppets. The details of the show

I went to the Joe Louis show with my American friend four years ago and we got a big ticket discount as we carried our student ID cards. At the end of the show, the three manipulators who were controlling ‘Hanuman’, the mischievous monkey king puppet, took the puppet off the stage and walked towards the audiences and then to us! I was sitting right next to my friend who got aisle seat and Hunuman paused and looked at us, he suddenly grabbed my bag and ran back to the stage! My friend and I were left gasping with a hundreds of eyes were looking at us. I was sure that it was because of him who caught Hanuman’s attention, that was why Hanuman picked on me as he wanted to entertain my foreign friend.

However, as my friend didn’t seem to be able to help at all, I had to go to Hanuman myself to ask for my bag back, which meant in front of the stage and also before ALL other audiences!! I was extremely shy there and Hanuman still kept making fun of me. Then, Hanuman, who was being controlled, pointed at his cheek and one of the manipulators whispered me to kiss Hanuman!!!! Oh come on, with everyone was watching, I had no choices, did I? I kissed him on the cheek and he handed me my bag. Walking back to my seat was even worse as I had to face those people, most of whom were giggling!