The Circulation of Traditional Theatrical Practices on Different Media Formats: the Cambodian Lakhon Bassac Opera on TV and Social Media

Il genere teatrale cambogiano lakhon bassac in TV e sui social media

Abstract

At present, in Cambodia, the spread of mass media and digital media is fuelling popularity-focused processes of adaptation to new socioeconomic trends and transformation within popular theatre genres such as the Vietnamese-Chinese influenced opera lakhon bassac. Whereas classical dance is internationally renowned and considered an icon of Cambodian culture, lakhon bassac is relatively unknown outside of Cambodian communities. It is considered less representative of Cambodian culture primarily due to its foreign origins. However, it is very popular among the Khmers, especially in rural areas and on old and new media. Lakhon bassac is considered as Khmer tradition as it expresses Khmer social and cultural principles. Nowadays, traditional genres have adapted in response to new audiences and performance contexts through the introduction of “special effects” and digital strategies changing the function of traditional instruments, songs, characters and storylines. Traditional genres that were once embedded in oral tradition and functioned within traditional theatres’ performing context, which consisted of a mat surrounded by the audience in rural villages, are nowadays being moved onto modern theatrical stages and screens, and into new media formats. This not only makes them available to a larger percentage of society, but also transforms the very nature of these cultural practices and reflects social and political aspects of contemporary Cambodia.This paper explores the interrelation between culture and the media system mirroring the transformation of a traditional theatre genre, lakhon bassac, in its migration to other media. How is the traditional performance of lakhon bassac transformed into the television context? How is the television performance of this traditional genre transformed and used on the social media? And what is the relationship between television and social media performances? Through selected performances of the sung-danced drama lakhon bassac on TV and social media, particularly Facebook and YouTube, this paper introduces a comparative perspective between television and digital transmediality.