UKS 18th Annual Culture Night (2014-2015)
"'Thoun Chey and the Golden Fish' combines two popular Khmer folktales: 'Thoun Chey' and 'Moronak Meada,' which is a Khmer version of Cinderella, into one play. Drawing characters, motifs, and themes from other shorter Khmer folktales like 'Judge Rabbit,' the main story of this play focuses on the lives of two very different people, Thuon Chey and Kanya.
In this adaptation of the play, Thoun Chey (a clever, but kind of a jokester boy), gets tricked by Sathei, an affluent man in the province. Fooled into thinking he received his fair share of ambok (a sweet Cambodian coconut-rice dessert) for his help, Thoun Chey finds a way to outsmart Sathei and get back at him. In the process, he comes across a number of interesting individuals.
Parallel to these events, we have our protagonist Kanya. Kind-hearted, but also outspoken as she is, Kanya is not the type to step down from a challenge. Feeling threatened by the presence of her soon to be step-sister, Kanya is compelled into a fishing contest to fight to keep her status as Number One daughter.
Traditionally passed down by word of mouth, many of these folktales were preserved and retold through modern Khmer literature. 'Thoun Chey' is a popular folktale that many Khmer elders grew up with, and it has been spread through other forms of media such as comics and film adaptations. Similarly, 'Moronak Meada' is also well known in Cambodia, especially for its ending. This story has been retold over the generations and there are many versions, including one by a French writer who came across the fragmented stories of 'Khmer Cinderella' in a 1998 novel, 'Angkat.'
Since the Khmer Rouge, much of Cambodia's art and literature was lost to the world forever; however, but much of it also lives on, preserved by our parents and the older generation. It is important for this production that we share with our audience members more than just the dark history that has come to define Khmer culture. Our goal is to showcase Cambodia's beautiful culture. Presenting old myths, traditional Khmer values and beliefs with contemporary themes were all essential for the success of this production."
In this adaptation of the play, Thoun Chey (a clever, but kind of a jokester boy), gets tricked by Sathei, an affluent man in the province. Fooled into thinking he received his fair share of ambok (a sweet Cambodian coconut-rice dessert) for his help, Thoun Chey finds a way to outsmart Sathei and get back at him. In the process, he comes across a number of interesting individuals.
Parallel to these events, we have our protagonist Kanya. Kind-hearted, but also outspoken as she is, Kanya is not the type to step down from a challenge. Feeling threatened by the presence of her soon to be step-sister, Kanya is compelled into a fishing contest to fight to keep her status as Number One daughter.
Traditionally passed down by word of mouth, many of these folktales were preserved and retold through modern Khmer literature. 'Thoun Chey' is a popular folktale that many Khmer elders grew up with, and it has been spread through other forms of media such as comics and film adaptations. Similarly, 'Moronak Meada' is also well known in Cambodia, especially for its ending. This story has been retold over the generations and there are many versions, including one by a French writer who came across the fragmented stories of 'Khmer Cinderella' in a 1998 novel, 'Angkat.'
Since the Khmer Rouge, much of Cambodia's art and literature was lost to the world forever; however, but much of it also lives on, preserved by our parents and the older generation. It is important for this production that we share with our audience members more than just the dark history that has come to define Khmer culture. Our goal is to showcase Cambodia's beautiful culture. Presenting old myths, traditional Khmer values and beliefs with contemporary themes were all essential for the success of this production."