Kaki: The adaptation of classical literature to a contemporary stage play

Abstract

      Showcasing literary adaptation methods, the paper was written based on a case study which had adapted the Thai classical literature of Kaki Klon Suphap or Kaki in Verse, written by Chao Phraya Phrakhlang (Hon), for a stage play “Kaki,” produced by the Faculty of Liberal Arts at Prince of Songkla University, Thailand.  It was argued that when adapting a literary source to a different genre such as a contemporary stage play, one must consider all the dimensions in which the target genre differs from the original source, such as rhetoric, literary structure or convention, points of view, emotional content, and cultural contexts specific to particular eras. The adaptation of Kaki in Verse to the modern stage play for younger generations therefore involved a 4-stage process: 1) adjusting the theme, 2) designing stage presentation, 3) reworking the storyline, 4) drafting and revising the play script. In the stage play, the original theme of Kaki, accentuating the condemnation of the female protagonist who succumbed to sexual lust, thus committing adultery and telling lies, was adapted to accommodate the contemporary viewpoint that regardless of sexual orientation, ones can do wrong if unmindful and yielding to lust. The adapted stage performance did not exceed two hours to satisfy the taste and interest span of the target audiences the majority of which were high school and university students. The storyline including characters, scripts, as well as background from Kaki in Verse was modified to fit the newly adjusted theme. Finally, the play script was drafted, revised, and made ready for the Faculty’s annual stage play.