| Description |
"Yike" is a popular theater among the locals. In the past, there was a Yike group in most district village to perform at important festivals or events in the community. During each performance, locals, young and old, come from everywhere to watch the performance. Therefore, the famous Yike performer is loved and remembered by the people around him or her forever. If the story is sad, the audiences often shed tears with the story without realizing it.
Yike can be performed in both traditional and modern themes. When performing traditional repertoires, some characters such as giants, monkeys, Ei Sei, and Tlok (clown) all wear face masks, while male characters (kings or Devadas) wear sharp crowns, and some female characters (princesses, angels) wear crowns and Kbangs (another kind of headdress). Costumes are also very luxurious and elegant. However, it would change to adapt the story’s context.
Spoken word and singing are the communication medium for the theater genre. Performers usually have to sing live, but if the characters do not sing well, they can lip singing. The accompanying music is Yi Ke music with 3 to 13 drums and 1 Tror. Tror is for opening the song and for the vocals of both the choir and the soloist to match. As for Sralai, it is used only in the song "Jeut" in the opening ceremony.
Before starting to play, they have to do an opening ceremony or dance for their masters/spirits.There is music, singing and dancing, with a Yike teacher playing the drums and singing the opening song.
Today, in addition to the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts, Yike remains in some provinces, such as Pursat, Kampot, Kampong Chhnang, Kampong Thom, Kampong Cham, and the most famous Yike troupe is in Takeo. Therefore, Yike theater can be different from one place to another. Today, Yike is included in the curriculum of the Secondary School of Fine Arts.
Among the dramas performed in Yike theatre, "Tum Teav" is the most popular. The Yike performance of Tum Teav was first performed in 1967 at the Suramarit Theater. The well-known Yike teachers who passed away are Lok Ta Khi and Lok Ta Duong.
The stories that were performed include:
- "Tum Teav" was staged in 1967 by Professor Pich Tum Kravil
Prof. Hang Thorn Hak and Prof. Chheng Phon
- “Ah Neak Khak Kam” were staged in 1967 by Prof. Pich Tum Kravil and Prof. Vann Sunheng
under the direction of Prof. Chheng Phon.
- “Sovann Chankiri” staged in 1973 by Mr. Mom Soth
- “Mak Theung” staged by Prof. Pich Tum Kravil, edited by Prof. Chheng Phon and
Prof. Hang Thorn Hak.
- “Loyal Commander” and “Oh! Ptei Srok Khmer” staged in 1973 under the direction of
Mr. Reach Teng
- "Hang Yun" was edited in 1994 by Mrs. Uy Lattavann
- "Phka Sla Bei" was staged in 1995 by Mr. Mom Soth, Professor Pich Tum Kravil,
Professor Hang Soth and Mr. Mao Keng.
- "Tip Soda Chan" was staged in 1995 by Mr. Ieng Sithul and Mrs. Uy Lattavann under
the direction of Professor Hang Soth, Professor Pich Tum Kravil and Mr. Mao Keng.
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