The Joe Louis Theatre isn't about to rest on the fame it garnered by winning a top honour on the world stage last year - a whole new show has been unveiled.

"We don't expect to win any awards with this production," says Surin Yangkhieosod, who along with his siblings runs the theatre founded by their father, the late Sakorn Yangkhieosod, a National Artist.

"Like last year, we only want to display our culture on the international stage."

The theatre troupe - Thailand's sole surviving purveyor of shows featuring the traditional small puppets known as hun lakorn lek - recently debuted "Kamnoed Phra Kanes" ("The Birth of Ganesha").

The production was inspired by the troupe's patron, Her Royal Highness the late Princess Galyani Vadhana, and will be presented at the World Festival of Puppet Art.

That's where - last year in Prague - the troupe wowed theatregoers with what was deemed the festival's Best Traditional Performance.

For an international audience, Surin says, the story has to be well known, since the actors can only convey so much through the actions of the puppets. Filling that bill is the story of the Hindu elephant-headed god Ganesha, who is something of a patron saint to the performing arts.

"If we can make the deaf understand the show, that means anyone can understand it - there's no language barrier," Surin says.

Fourteen puppet characters were newly created by his brother Sompit, with vibrant, elaborate costumes that shimmer in the stage lights, the better to impress the judges upon close inspection.

"Their appearance has to be very special because the show is about the gracefulness and holiness of Ganesha," says Sompit.

Princess Galyani came to personally congratulate the Joe Louis cast and crew for their win in Prague, but urged them to never cease improving, no matter how many laurels came their way.

"She told us," says Surin, "to keep on innovating."

By Sirinya Wattanasukchai

Daily Xpress