Role model

Ton trains the stars

By Thanakrit Charoenphon
and Suwitcha Chaiyong
Photos by Varuth Hirunyatheb
and courtesy of Patomkrit Sudsara

The great acting skill of many actors is often only possible due to the great advice from their acting coach. Patomkrit Sudsara (Ton) is the acting coach behind many of the fantastic performances that can be seen on Thai screens and stages. Ton has worked as a casting and acting director, training both aspiring and veteran actors, in TV series, movies and stage plays.

The 32-year-old earned his master’s in Dramatic Arts from Chulalongkorn University, and his first trainee was Noona Nuengthida. Ton has also acted in many shows and plays as well as directing several plays including Salary Man and The Day before Tomorrow. His latest play, Yudphop (What Goes Around, Comes Around), will be performed from September 3 to 13 at Creative Industries M Theatre.

Student Weekly recently met up with Ton to chat about his coaching experience and his upcoming stage play.

Student Weekly: Why did you decide to study dramatic arts?

Ton: I always wanted to be an actor. After I studied performance arts, I found that acting isn’t only about making gestures or poses, but understanding myself and other people. Now, I don’t think about being star. I just want to do my best in every role.

Student Weekly: What does an acting coach do?

Ton: You have to communicate with an actor and help them solve any problems and reach the director’s goal. The results must make the audience believe in the acting.

Student Weekly: Who is most difficult to train?

Ton: Coaching children is very difficult because their communication is different from an adult. I have to use a lot of tricks to understand them. They are difficult to control.

Student Weekly: Is there any difference between coaching an aspiring or a veteran actor?

Ton: An aspiring actor has to start from scratch. They must understand that for acting, it is important to understand life. It isn’t a performance. They must believe in each situation and act in response to it. But a veteran actor usually comes to be trained for a specific role.

Student Weekly: Which veteran actors have you coached?

Ton: For the horror film 3AM, I coached Ananda Everingham, Ray MacDonald and Nok Sinjai. They were all well prepared. Ray came with his own ideas about his character, but he needed more information about their background. Ananda always asked about the reasons behind his character’s actions before filming. And Nok had to change what she had prepared because the director wanted comical acting, but she felt like that wasn’t realistic. I had to convince her that the acting had to be exaggerated.

Student Weekly: What are you most proud of as a coach?

Ton: I have been an acting coach for seven years and I enjoy my job. When my students become famous, I am happy that they do a great job. Some of them come back to thank me. That’s unexpected, and always makes me smile.

Student Weekly: Can you tell us about your play, What Goes Around, Comes Around?

Ton: The play was inspired by seeing dramatic status updates on Facebook. I felt that relationships these days are superficial. If you start a relationship with somebody, there will be consequences and that you are responsible for. So, I came up with the story of the play, and got a professional script writer to write it.

Student Weekly: Do you recommend an aspiring actor to study acting with you?

Ton: If they see benefit from it. [Laughs.] If somebody wants to study with me, they should come to talk to me, so we know each other’s viewpoints and they understand my direction. I once taught a student who didn’t want to study because she was impatient to be a star. But I don’t guarantee that a student can be a star. Acting is about understanding yourself before playing a character.

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Yudphop (What Goes Around, Comes Around)

September 3 to 13
Creative Industries M Theatre

The play is about Thaned, a nice guy who breaks up with his girlfriend Marisa because she chooses his best friend, Kem. Later, she finds out that Kem has cheated on her. A heartbroken Marisa decides to commit suicide. Thaned returns to stop her.

For more details, go to www.thaiticketmajor.com.

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