After the military junta’s coup, instability and security concerns in Mon State have caused a steep decline in traditional Mon theater performances. With fewer people hiring troupes, the number of performances has decreased year by year. As of this year, only one Mon theater troupe remains active, according to leaders in the theater community.
“I’m very disheartened. Many of our actors have gone abroad. There are only one or two left here. Most have left the country. Even if the political situation improves and performances resume, it will be hard to continue. We don’t know where we’ll find actors to train or how to put together a full show anymore,” said Nai Mae Lay, a key leader in Mon theater. “There used to be around nine Mon theater groups. Now, there’s nothing.”
In the past, there were over 10 Mon theater troupes, but due to the ongoing political crisis, only one troupe, “Guri Chan,” is left performing this season, added Nai Mae Lay.
“Last year, we still had two or three troupes. Now, only Guri Chan is left. Last year, we saw performances from groups like Chan Nyi Chan, Saik Hong Sar, and Aung Htaw, but they couldn’t continue this year. The political situation is getting worse every year. With the constant fighting in different areas, no one is hiring anymore,” he said.
As a result, Mon traditional theater faces the threat of disappearing altogether. The lack of demand for performances has left many actors unemployed, forcing some to seek work abroad or take up whatever local jobs they can find to survive, according to members of the Mon theater community.
“We haven’t performed in a long time. Since there are no more shows, we’ve had to stop. To survive, we’re doing whatever work we can—tapping rubber during the season, planting rice when it’s time. Most of us have gone overseas, but I’m still here, waiting for the political situation to improve,” said SaHai Mon, a Mon theater actor.
The decline began during the COVID-19 pandemic, but it worsened significantly after the military coup, which drastically reduced the number of bookings for performances.
Before the coup, there were as many as 44 Mon and Burmese theater troupes in Mon State. However, many of them have since shut down due to the lack of opportunities, leaving thousands of theater workers unemployed and struggling to make ends meet.
