It's been almost five years since comedian Udom "Note" Taepanich's last graced his favourite Bangkok venue - downtown's Scala theatre - with a solo performance. But his fans should be grateful, as the time away has allowed Note to amass plenty of amusing stories and funny anecdotes and try them out on his friends. It also means that the master storyteller and born funny man is now just a few weeks shy of 40, something we're reminded of when we spot a chair - instead of a stool - behind the microphone stand. Later, he touches on the subject, drawing guffaws with stories about his discovery of men's cosmetics. Audience members, just like their favourite performer, are also growing older and greyer.

Last Tuesday night (February 5), the sixth show in the 38-show run, the stand-up comic seemed to spend longer on his chair and take more water-sipping breaks than in previous shows. Yet, he timed these so well that they never disrupted the flow of the performance. And while the 160-minute, intermission-free show might have been more leisurely paced, Note was still energetic throughout, the audience never getting the sense he was tired - even in the odd moment where it was obvious he was trying to think of what was coming next.

Filled with surreal props and backed by a colourful patchwork curtain, the temporary stage was set up in front of a movie screen, bringing the comedian closer to the audience. Unlike previous shows however, Note didn't wander down into the auditorium to interact with his audience - a signature turn that many of us were expecting.

Still, he delivered most of his stories with such freshness and excitement that it felt like he was sharing them with us for the first time. A great observer of life's little foibles, Note made countless original and poignant comments about himself and friends both old and new, ranging from the eccentric percussionist/singer Sirisak "Tik Shiro" Nantasen to his mother, his employees and his Bangkok and Chiang Mai neighbours, all the time mixing in stuff on wider issues like pop culture and the paranoia that's besetting Thais these days.

Like the logo of the famous chain of convenience stores it mimics, "Diao 7" holds the promise of something for everyone. You may not laugh at all the jokes on offer, but you will have a great time.

It's plain that Note isn't always recounting tales from personal experience, but the veteran actor effortlessly made all the stories sound like his own, twisting some and bending others. The effect was like listening to an old friend, a mixture of anecdotes and thoughts tumbling out with passion, enthusiasm and sincerity.

There were patchy parts, with jokes that could have been cut without hurting the overall show, but the lengthier stories and the connections drawn between them had the audience totally absorbed. The same technique for big venues has been used by great stand-up comedians like Jerry Seinfeld, Robin Williams, Whoopi Goldberg and Margaret Cho, who used to switch back to short skits for smaller comedy clubs.

For example, the audience was in fits as Note recounted the Muslim-style circumcision of his high-school days undergone in his hometown of Chon Buri. It was an experience that got a brief mention earlier in connection with his story about palm readers, a link that must have given this seventh telling an extra comedy edge over the previous six.

The true highlight came towards the end when he shared his personal theory detailing how rap is derived from lae, and has its origins in the town of Lablae (not on any map) in Uttaradit province. He then put theory into practice with the help of three professional musicians, and fully entertained us with a mini-concert.

Given the current political situation, the audience anticipated political satire. They weren't disappointed, though it didn't go much beyond superficial swiping. Note poked fun at both the outgoing and incoming governments, and, of course, the owner of a certain English Premier League football team (cue the loudest applause of the night).

Finally, a word of warning to those who are planning to attend this talk-of-the-town event: check your life insurance policies first. The overwhelming demand for tickets has meant that seats have been added on the left, right and central aisles, effectively blocking emergency evacuation routes. There are five exit doors, two of which are not in use, and souvenir stores fill the lobby area. Should there be a bomb scare, and the audience panics, this year's best comedy could turn out to be the worst tragedy.

"Diao 7" coninues every day except Mondays until March 2 at Scala Theatre in Siam Square. The show starts at 7pm, with Note taking the stage at 7:30pm. Matinees on Saturdays and Sundays kick off at 2pm. Tickets range from Bt500 to Bt2,500 from www.Thaiticketmaster.com but are currently all sold out.

written by Pawit Mahasarinand

published in The Nation on Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Note: I watched "Diao 7" again on February 12, and Note, despite having hurt his left ankle at a foot massage session and hence performing bare-feet, was able to deliver the same level of entertainment. With a slightly slower pace and more targets (now that we have an intriguing line-up of cabinet members), the show lasted 3 hours and 6 minutes (a brief pause when his usherettes helped entertain the audience included).