Laugh?

SATURDAY 26 | The Phnom Penh Punchliners, recent graduates of acclaimed Irish stand-up Aidan Killian’s comedy crash course, are staging another open mic tonight. Brace your ribs for wicked wise-cracks from local scene stalwarts Scotty Davies (UK), Sam Thomas (US), Dan Riley (UK), Emma Blint (UK) and Roddy Fraser (UK) with Mick Taylor (UK) as MC. Fancy your chances at being funny? Contact Dan Riley at dmriley440@nullgmail.com to arrange a slot on stage.

WHO: PP Punchliners
WHAT: Stand-up comedy open mic
WHERE: Equinox, #3a Street 278
WHEN: 8pm October 26
WHY: It’s the best medicine

 

Gender Bending and alternative realities

Six crazy hours in the chaotic, loud and gloriously tacky world of Cambodian cosplay

The big guns are coming up front for the finale. Flown in from Bangkok are three of Thailand’s top cosplayers and, from the crowd’s reaction, you know these guys are rock stars. Did I say guys? Because I ain’t so sure. Determining gender isn’t straightforward here. There’s a liquid sort of androgyny, but it’s females dressed as males, full circle from Shakespeare’s boys dressed as girls.

First up is ‘Irvy’. She twirls, jabs and punches through a curiously sexy-unsexy dance routine. S/he’s a fighter, Lara Croft in the flesh, her whole body girdled in leather straps on top of sober white jodhpurs and a chemise. Every inch of flesh is covered up. Singing and dancing to electro-metal, the other Thais ‘Seiz’ and ‘Heyleydia’ are all in black. It’s a look somewhere between Michael Jackson in his Bad phase and the Gestapo in platform jackboots.I have no idea what’s going on.

This is the Phnom Penh Cosplay Convention. For the uninitiated, ‘cosplayers’ imitate heroes and villains from anime films or manga comics: quintessentially Japanese cartoon dramas set in virtual fantasy worlds of sword, sorcery and science fiction. The word ‘cosplay’ is a portmanteau of ‘costume’ and ‘play.’ Simply put, it’s dressing up. Yet these kids are not affirming some cyber-punk-gothic concept of individuality. They’re in character, someone else, someone other, someone fantastic.

There’s clearly been a raid on the central market wig store, for example. Bobbing among the gaggle of heads in the university hall, there’s orange wigs, purple wigs and a nasty shade of fluorescent pink. They are feathered, fringed and otherwise customised: one badass has turquoise ponytails down to her waist, a pair of waterfalls gushing from her ears. A few more have a gastric shade of yellow, flared like sunrays.

And it’s not just the nylon hairpieces. It’s gym slips, stockings and garters; kimonos, leather straps and stiletto heels; swords, battleaxes and cardboard laser guns galore. A lot of thigh is on show. Inexplicably, there’s a boy in a shell suit and a tennis racket, looking for all the world like a Khmer Noel Gallagher. I spot a girl with an eye patch, too. But by the way people are poking at it I think she’s actually down with that conjunctivitis that’s been going around.

I’m at the Cambodia-Japan Cooperation Centre at the Royal University of Phnom Penh. Since 1992 the Land of the Rising Sun has lavished over $2 billion on the Kingdom of Wonder, but I’m not sure cosplay is exactly the result the Japanese had in mind. Call it, if you will, ‘cultural exchange’.

There’s a sign outside that says ‘stay quiet please’, but the hallowed groves of academe be damned. Today this joint is rocking to a J-pop soundtrack and the yelps of 500 cosplay fans. I approach ‘Krisna’ and ‘Nita’, two second-year economics students decked out as saucy French maids: they assure me they’re playing “café shop assistants”.

It seems a pricey hobby. ‘Krisna’ corrects me: “Actually I got the costume for two dollars and made the hat by hand.” She continues, after posing for photos with an eager series of young chaps. “We do it to be creative. My family thinks it’s kind of foreign, but I don’t care.” Good for you! Go, girl! “Though we’ve had some strange looks from boys,” she adds conspiratorially, before I get too comfortable with this.

In a conservative culture, the nicknames and the costumes are a way to momentarily shed your identity. But there is undoubtedly a sexuality about cosplay, too. At best it’s baby-doll innocence. At worst, it’s a Riverside sexpat fantasy come true. There’s significantly more people here in civvies watching the show than taking part and wearing the gear. Inevitably a lot of the voyeurs are sporting zits and bum fluff: harmless nerds having a day off from masturbation and World of Warcraft. But I’m very glad to see almost no one over the age of 22. The sexpats are thankfully notable for their absence.

Chanrithy is an IT student, of all things. Why are there far more girls in costume? “There’s not many boys in cosplay,” he confirms. “Maybe because the boys are embarrassed; maybe because many anime characters look like boys, but if you’re brave enough to wear the costume, the characters you play can show off your true personality.”

The live show gets started and the performances on stage are varied, to say the least. A couple of girls waggle about halfheartedly in a representation of what I take to be marionettes. Another group enters stage right, shambolically. “That is what I call ART!” shouts one of the performers. A play fight breaks out and shirts are ripped off (hysterical whoops from the audience) to reveal enviously perfect sets of abs.

Alex Meister, a web and graphic designer from Switzerland, couldn’t come in costume (“The tailor said it would ready in three days, it’s now eight…”) but at least he’s honest about his motivations. “Mainly I’m here because there’s a lot of cute girls, but on the other hand it’s nice to have superheroes – and to dress up as one you like.”

Now there’s a boy in a pink kimono on stage, who whips out what I’m horrified to observe is a real samurai sword. He proceeds to chop up a cucumber in some profound kind of innuendo. Or so I reckon. It looks bloody dangerous, but there’s not a St John’s Ambulance van to be seen anywhere. The crowd is having a ball.

Alex doesn’t believe that cosplay is about sexuality, though in the darker recesses of the Internet, of course, there’s enough anime porn to melt your manga. But check out any of the Facebook pages and groups that bring the cosplayers together and the chat is as innocent as can be.

The three Thai stars come on. Not only are ‘Irvy’, ‘Seiz’ and ‘Heyleydia’ dressed in character, but for each of them there’s four or five Cambodian lookalikes in cheaper variations of the exact same outfits. You have to wonder if they’re based on the original anime cartoons or the real-life cosplay idols.So there’s even a kind of fandom within the fandom. Talk about subculture.

After they’re done, the local cosplayers are called onto the stage for their 15 seconds of fame and a quick jaunt down the mini-catwalk. Catwalk is the word: kitten ears and kitten heels are prevalent.

Some cosplayers on the red carpet can’t conceal their natural shyness, but most seize their moment, striking anime poses and strutting their stuff to an increasingly lively crowd. Hemmed in tight between the stage and the audience, I’m hoping there’s no mosh pit malarkey. I don’t want one of those high heels through my eye. Especially from that girl with a polystyrene axe. I’m also concerned about the plus-size ninjas and their baking-foil swords.

The highlights of the day are over, but everyone still wants their photo taken with the Thai trio. There’s a bit of lighthearted shoving going on and promoter Negibose Kondo is stressing. Part manager, part presenter, part bodyguard, he and his interpreter are doing a sterling job keeping some electrified kids in check, but everyone still gets 30 seconds for an Instagram snap with the best-dressed chicks in town today. Negibose has taken the cosplay convention around Southeast Asia and this is his third time in Cambodia. “We’re hoping the number of fans will increase in Cambodia,” he says. “In Thailand, there’s maybe 10,000 cosplayers now.”

Fear not. Cosplay won’t be taking over just yet. There’s only a few hundred members of the handful of Cambodian anime Facebook groups and this is only the second such convention in the country. “But they’ll need to find a bigger place next time,” notes Meister. “This one’s full and it’s basically just like my high-school gym.”

Cosplay superstar Heleydia takes a break from the groupies to talk to me. Like most of the cosplay fans here, she – she really is a she; I’ve figured it out – is a student too, but by night she’s an anime God. Goddess?

Having been to Myanmar, Laos and the cradle of cosplay in Japan, what does she think of the crowd here in Phnom Penh? “It’s amazing! This event has been really fun and there’s not a big difference between the Thai scene and Cambodia: it’s same same.” The Nazi-cum-prince-of-pop outfit (complete with the white gloves) is from “Akira, a character in a game” which solves that mystery once and for all. Sort of.

And what’s it like to be a Southeast Asian cosplay star? “It’s just my hobby, but I love it!” she bubbles. “Do whatever you want to do! When I get old, I’ll still be doing this.”

Heyleydia giggles, runs her fingers through her silver wig, and teeters back on platform boots to the waiting fans.

Back in time

THURSDAY 24-28 |  Want a historic look without having to go to the trouble of time travel? Rifle through this four-day sale of imported vintage clothing ranging from 1930s silk bias gowns to 1950s atomic novelty sundresses; from 1960s Madmen wiggle dresses to beaded jumpsuits and strapless 1980s cocktail dresses.

WHO: Timeless fashionistas
WHAT: Vintage Clothing Sale
WHERE: #21 Street 306 (next to Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf)
WHEN: 8am – 8pm October 24 – 28
WHY: What better way to go back in time?

 

Beat dis

FRIDAY  25 | Formed in 1964 and regrouping exactly 20 years later, Jamaican ska band The Skatalites, of Guns Of Navarone fame – along with Studio One in-house bands the Soul Vendors, Sound Dimension, Soul Defenders and Brentford Road All Stars – laid the foundations for modern reggae. Mixing their danceable rhythms with popular jazz tonight are some of Phnom Penh’s most talented musicians, among them Sebastien Adnot (bass), Greg Lavender (drums), Euan Gray (saxophone) and Alexandre Scarpati (trombone). Known collectively as Jahzad, they promise an evening of “infectious beats and tasty horn lines”.

WHO: Jahzad
WHAT: Jamaican ska meets jazz
WHERE: Equinox, #3a Street 278
WHEN: 9pm October 25
WHY: Infectious beats and tasty horn lines

 

Life is but a farce

FRIDAY 25 & 26 | More Diplomatic Affairs, an original farce set in an unnamed embassy, is the Phnom Penh Players’ latest offering. The play was written by Emma Triller, who promises that “More of the situations are real than you would believe.”  It’s the follow-up to last year’s Diplomatic Affairs, which became the topic of many water-cooler conversations in embassies around Phnom Penh. Farce has more set rules than any other form of theatre: it’s like a piece of music or a sonnet. At the same time it can be written about anything. Whatever the cover up, mistress in the cupboard, two dinner dates on the same night, it’s still a farce. Writing a farce is no simple task: it’s like spinning a spider web. Each situation has a story of its own, but they are all connected. “Emma wrote an amazing script,” says Emily Marques, who’s returning to the unnamed embassy with the accent that made her the lead in several audience members’ dreams last year. “The way that everything plays off what came before it… It requires a certain type of writer.” Despite the success of television programmes such as Fawlty Towers and ’Allo, ’Allo, farce remains a uniquely theatrical genre. After all, there’s nothing like sitting in a theatre full of people and watching someone’s day go to Hell. Tickets ($10) for More Diplomatic Affairs are on sale now at Baitong Restaurant, Street 360; Willow Boutique Hotel, Street 21; Bopha Titanic Restaurant, Riverside; Cha Nails, Sothearos Boulevard and Tips & Toes, Street 278.

WHO: The Phnom Penh Players
WHAT: More Diplomatic Affairs
WHERE: Russian Cultural Centre, corner of Norodom Blvd & Street 222
WHEN: 7:30pm October 25 & 26
WHY: Life’s just one big farce, isn’t it?

 

Ancient spirits of rock

FRIDAY 25 | Although we tend to associate the word ‘heritage’ with dusty old scholars and hooky Angkor Wat souvenirs, there’s more to it than that. Today there’s a chance to discover Cambodia’s fragile cultural legacies, both ancient and modern – and the people saving them for the future. Bringing the vinyl vibe of ’60s Cambodia back to life, for example, are The Underdogs, six young Khmers who met at the Music Arts School in 2012. Inspired by “the unforgettable sound of the golden age and also Dengue Fever and the Cambodian Space Project”, they’ve performed their mop-top tunes all over town. “It’s going to be an awesome event,” says frontman Samean ‘Sammie’ Ouk. “The Underdogs will rock you with the best Khmer old-school songs and make you feel like you are dancing in the past!” Contrast The Underdogs to warm-up act Master Hong Sun’s Ensemble. The elderly musicians from Kampong Speu beat accelerating rhythms, scratching out melodies on traditional stringed instruments. They are entreating the Areak, spirits who in days of yore helped the shaman (mehmut) when villagers fell sick. As part of the ritual-heavy performance the Areak are offered food and liquor too, not unlike a typical night out in Phnom Penh. “Younger people ought to appreciate all these art forms and ensure they are not lost – and in turn become creators inspired by the past,” says Jamie Lee, who helps digitise priceless Khmer heritage at Unesco. In 2005, the UN launched a World Day for Audiovisual Heritage and guardians of culture at the Bophana Centre, Cambodian Living Arts and Unesco have joined forces to organise this year’s event in Phnom Penh. Themed Musical and Performing Arts in Cambodia: Reviving Artistic Heritage, the aim is to breathe ‘a second life’ into everything from classical dance to jukebox favourites.

WHO: Culture vultures to retro rockers
WHAT: Cambodian music and dance spanning the centuries
WHERE: Bophana Centre, #64 Street 200
WHEN: 4pm October 25
WHY:  It doesn’t need to be old to be heritage

 

Got riddim

FRIDAY 25 | The thought of endorsing roots reggae groups founded by Frenchmen can trigger apprehension in reggae snobs, especially when such groups have never set foot on Jamaican soil. But what Vibratone lack in geographical legitimacy they more than make up for with enthusiasm, as evidenced by their recent performance at Doors’ Vibe Music Festival. Between them, Ben and Leonard (guitar), Julien (bass), Vibol (keys), Luis (drums) and Maia (vocals) boast an eclectic background, with musical roots from Brazil to France to the Philippines, yet their all-original reggae genuinely rocks. Keep your ears peeled for Dreams, of which Maia says: “Dreams talks about just that: dreams. The wants, needs and desires that we all have. When I wrote it, it began on a really materialistic note – be it money, a house, a car – then Julien and I spoke and I realised it needed more substance, so there is this transition between the first and second verses. It talks about being at peace with oneself and gaining happiness through fulfilment. We have another song called Who Are You Fooling? and it’s very political; it criticises the status quo and speaks about injustices.”

WHO: Vibratone
WHAT: All-original reggae
WHERE: Doors, Street 84 & 47
WHEN: 9:30pm October 25
WHY: See ‘what’

 

Whitey sings the blues

FRIDAY 25 |  A little over a century ago, Oklahoma-based Hart A Wand’s Dallas Blues became the very first copyrighted blues sheet music ever published. Within weeks, this catchy 12-bar tune was being hummed the length and breadth of the Mississippi River – and its influence on all the blues music that followed has earned its place in the annals of history. Rooted in spirituals and work songs, blues music is believed to date back to when slaves were finally granted freedom under the Emancipation Act of 1862. As Samuel Charters notes in his 1975 book The Country Blues, it’s thus more than a little ironic that the first published piece was, in fact, “by a white man” (Wand called his melody ‘Dallas Blues’ after a black porter who worked for the family said the tune ‘gave him the blues to go back to Dallas’). No less ironic is the fact that the man credited with introducing the blues to Australia, guitarist Phil Manning, is also conspicuously pale of complexion. Pity the fool who points this out. “Forget the colour. Everybody gets the blues sometimes.” A veteran of life on the road, Manning has been praised for his keen technical abilities, silky vocals and insightful songwriting. He’s an accomplished finger-picker and slide guitarist and echoes of country, bluegrass and folk reverberate through his songs. Expect the unexpected: rather than stick to a rigid set list, Manning prefers to let the crowd determine the direction each performance takes.

WHO: Phil Manning
WHAT: The blues, with echoes of country, bluegrass and folk
WHERE: The Gym Bar, Street 178
WHEN: 8:30pm October 25
WHY: Who says white men can’t sing the blues?

 

A kinder, funnier Cambodia

Beyond its temples and macabre tourist attractions, Cambodia is unforgettable for one reason: its people.

In Destination Cambodia, Walter Mason’s light-hearted travel memoir, the Australian author reveals a country unlikely familiar to even the most assimilated cultural warriors. From the obvious to the unbelievable, Mason shares intimate and often humorous tales, all with keen insight into the famously inscrutable natives.

At home in Australia, Mason was for a time involved with a cultish Buddhist sect and his penchant for the spiritually peculiar fuels many of his journeys. An intermittent resident of Vietnam since 1994, Mason – whose previous travel books include Destination Saigon – made his first trip to Cambodia in 1996, succumbing to the Kingdom’s charms almost immediately.

Then a 20-something wanderer with a bent for Eastern spirituality, Mason gravitated toward Phnom Penh’s Buddhist sanctuaries. He helped the monks and students at Wat Koh and Wat Botum practice their English and, in exchange, they gave him the kind of tour of Cambodia that only the young and itinerant ever seem to find.

Mason makes the necessary stops along the way. He checks in at Angkor Wat, the killing fields and most of the travel-guide must-sees. But in Mason’s hands the destinations are all but extraneous; it is the people along his journeys who expose the character of the Kingdom.

Early on, one of the monks asked Mason to join “a quick thing” his pagoda had helped organise. “The casual nature of the invitation, and the fact that when I travel I resolve never to say no to any invitation, caused me to accept, though I had grave misgivings. From experience I knew that official Buddhist events in Asia could be ghastly affairs, with long speeches in languages I did not understand. They were also opportunities for me to make multiple social gaffes. But the monk’s charming and offhand invitation lulled me into thinking it would be a casual affair that I could duck into and out of, so I duly noted it down in my calendar.”

The event was anything but informal. Mason arrived at the Buddhist Institute to find hundreds of monks and a television crew waiting for him to give the event’s main address. Live, on television.

The students at Wat Botum seemed to share a similar sense of humour. They introduced him to the local writers’ association, where he met Suong Mak, among the country’s most recognisable authors from the new generation. Mason was desperate to meet a shaman and, when a friend finally fixed a meeting, Mak agreed to tag along. “Why do Cambodian people believe this nonsense?” Mak asks. “I’m only coming to see what fools you are willing to make of yourselves.”

And so Mason goes, pinballing around the country from shaman to Chinese fortune teller to bull-penis restaurant. He travels in a Mercedes with a Very Important Monk, meets Phnom Penh’s oldest hooker and nearly dies in the Buddhist hells of the cultural village.

At each stop he is greeted with genuine Khmer hospitality: often unpredictable, occasionally unbelievable, but always authentic.

Destination Cambodia, by Walter Mason, is available now at Monument Books priced $18.50.

Mexican stand-off

If the homies on D-block could take over the chow hall it would look a lot like Cocina Cartel, the Tex-mex place behind the palace on Street 19. The walls are as pale as a Texas prison jumpsuit, the mason jars and black-and-white decor as loc’d out as any mid-range gringo eatery could ever hope to be. A 1964 Chevy Impala sits emblazoned across the mezzanine, a frightening Day-of-the-Dead skull with wild eyes adorns the north wall. The menu is just as terse: a three-step, circle-what-you-want affair with few choices. The options are burrito, quesadilla, taco and ‘bowl’, a vegetable-infested something-or-other designed for out-of-staters. Tex-mex snobs beware. Cartel might not clock San Antonio good, but it kills anything north of the Harris County line. All that’s missing is Shiner Boch and an image of the Virgin Mary.

Cocina Cartel, #198 Street 19; 089 227183.