When in Mandalay...
If you’re a tourist in Mandalay, there are two customary things to do – watch the sun set from atop Mandalay Hill, amidst the local hilltop pagoda, and see the Moustache Brothers. Locals and the faithful walk up the hill via hundreds upon hundreds of stone steps. We drove, then joined others taking the escalator the final way up. Great view of the Irrawaddy River, the Shan Hills, and surrounding area. Off to street BBQ, then trying to find the home of the Moustache Brothers.
The Moustache Brothers are a traditional comedy troupe (two brothers and a cousin, only one of whom speaks bad English) that has been banned for several years for telling anti-government jokes. Two of them have been arrested many times and done prison time, the most recent stretch being five years at a work camp in the jungle. To keep the show going, they found a loophole in the order prohibiting their act – they work only their home, only admit foreigners, and “demonstrate” what a show would look like, mostly without costumes. The secret police still hang about outside sometimes taking pictures of those who attend, and the locals congregate outside to hear the show. The show is on the ground floor, in a front room, with the stage being 4” high and 2’ in front of a row of plastic chairs. Two Spaniards and I made up the audience this night. The night before they had and audience of 10. The suggested voluntary admission of $8 US largely goes for food for those in a local prison. Corny humour, hokey show, some jokes in rapid fire bad English, some demonstrations of traditional dance. An hour amidst lots of mosquitoes, and the obligatory souvenir T-shirt. You have to admire them for keeping up their brand of opposition. If you Google them, you’ll see lots online. They’re national heroes who get lots of international media attention. I had to crouch down to get in the same picture with the brother and cousin.
The Moustache Brothers are a traditional comedy troupe (two brothers and a cousin, only one of whom speaks bad English) that has been banned for several years for telling anti-government jokes. Two of them have been arrested many times and done prison time, the most recent stretch being five years at a work camp in the jungle. To keep the show going, they found a loophole in the order prohibiting their act – they work only their home, only admit foreigners, and “demonstrate” what a show would look like, mostly without costumes. The secret police still hang about outside sometimes taking pictures of those who attend, and the locals congregate outside to hear the show. The show is on the ground floor, in a front room, with the stage being 4” high and 2’ in front of a row of plastic chairs. Two Spaniards and I made up the audience this night. The night before they had and audience of 10. The suggested voluntary admission of $8 US largely goes for food for those in a local prison. Corny humour, hokey show, some jokes in rapid fire bad English, some demonstrations of traditional dance. An hour amidst lots of mosquitoes, and the obligatory souvenir T-shirt. You have to admire them for keeping up their brand of opposition. If you Google them, you’ll see lots online. They’re national heroes who get lots of international media attention. I had to crouch down to get in the same picture with the brother and cousin.
For a BBC story on the brothers, go to http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7060424.stm
The other big (literally) site here is the Mandalay Palace and Fort, much of which is now a military base and off-limits. We drove by it several times. You can’t miss it. Each of the four sides is bordered by a mile long moat, which itself is huge. Too darn hot to get out and go walking though.
The other big (literally) site here is the Mandalay Palace and Fort, much of which is now a military base and off-limits. We drove by it several times. You can’t miss it. Each of the four sides is bordered by a mile long moat, which itself is huge. Too darn hot to get out and go walking though.
posted by Mark L at
8:28 AM
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