THURSDAY 7 |Once upon a time, in a hermetic village not so far away, anyone who dared stand out faced the wrath of small-minded locals. When a strange-looking man appears one day, he prays to the gods to save him from their discrimination – and, in response, they transform him into a beautiful woman. The men of the village are immediately love struck, but suddenly a mysterious plague breaks out and claims them, one by one. Convinced the beautiful stranger is responsible, the surviving villagers put her to death – but the plague continues to spread, gathering its fatal pace… So begins Eclipse, a circus show by Battambang’s Phare Ponleu Selpak performing arts school. Expect a modern circus extravaganza with a Khmer twist: “This is one of our most theatrical,” says Zoe, one of the circus administrators. “It’s also very Khmer; you don’t see the influence of Western cultures like in other shows that we have.” Tickets ($4) available at tinitinoucircusfestival.org.
WHO: Phare Ponleu Selpak
WHAT: Eclipse circus show
WHERE: National Circus School of Phnom Penh, opposite National Assembly (near NagaWorld)
WHEN: 6pm May 7 & 8
WHY: “Circus art is about courage, solidarity and peace.” – Khoun Det, Phare Ponleu Selpak founder