Dance and theatre of Laos
According to Lao legends surrounding the first ruler of Lan Xang, it is said that in addition to a large army of Khmer soldiers, King Fa Ngum was accompanied by numerous female dancers from the court of Angkor.
She is credited for bringing both Buddhism and Khmer culture, including the royal dance, to the imperial capital of Luang Prabang.
[5] Until 1957, the population of the village of Ban Phanom, located north of Luang Prabang, provided young girls to perform the Fone Nang Keo.
The Fone Nang Keo was once the exclusive property of the King, accompanying the life of the Lang Xang Hom Kao dynasty.
To pay homage to these entities, the King traditionally presented a performance of the Fone Nang Keo during the Lao New Year (Phimai).
In the Lao adaptation, Ravana (referred to as Raphanasuan) plays a more prominent role than the main heroes, Rama or Phra Lam.
According to the Laotian tradition, Ravana was born in Cambodia, and the monumental battle took place along the banks of the Mekong.
Khon (ໂຂນ [[kʰǒːn]]) is the most stylised of the Lao dance-dramas, with troupes of male and female dancers in elaborate costumes and masks performing very graceful movements demonstrating their great flexibility, and very common dance-drama form for the Phra Lak Phra Ram.
Musicians undergo extensive oral training for several months to ensure they have a precise understanding of each piece, regardless of its length, and the variations it entails.
[10] Although lacking in dance, nang taloung or shadow puppets (ໜັງຕະລຸງ [[nǎŋ tā.lúŋ]]) are an important part of Lao theatrical traditions.
[12] The music that accompanies a lam lao performance may also include various types of percussion, fiddles, lutes, xylophones, or oboes as well as some that are more characteristic of classical ensembles.
[12] Although the performances themselves are not necessarily theatrical, the closest being the exchanges of witty repartées in alternating verses or songs between a male and a female morlam who pretend to fall in love before departing or friends who try to outwit each other.
The songs are interspersed with dance numbers, comedic routines, ham acting, and teasing between the performers and the audience.
These include the hero (ພຣະເອກ [pʰāʔ.ʔȅːk]), the heroine (ນາງເອກ [náːŋ ʔȅːk]), king father, queen mother, clown, villain (ຜູ້ຮ້າຽ [pʰȕː hâːj]), and supernatural forces such as gods, demons, spirits, or ogres.
