...when you are in Phnom Penh!
It's a really nice show performed by very motivated people and worth every cent of the 10$ you pay for it.
Better miss S-21 or the killing fields. That is past.
This performance is cultural history, performed in the presence and a very positive mental souvenir from this city.

We saw the YIKE OPERA: MAK THERNG along with our two young children and found it to be thoroughly entertaining.

The acting was of a very good standard, the costumes were colourful and the hour long show was very entertaining and easy to follow with the provided subtitles. It doesn't pretend to be a London stage show, so I think the earlier comment that you get more for $10 in a Western city is a bit harsh...plus you get to watch a show outside, something I can't say we could do when in the UK this past summer lol.

Great to see people being able to follow their passion and make a living out of it.

I caught the Monday show (Children of Bassac) and while it certainly wasn't a life-changing performance, it was a truly eclectic, yet ultimately heartwarming, display of Cambodian folk arts. Tickets are sold at $10, which is pretty worth its value as most apsara dance theatres often charge higher prices for a shorter show. The show lasted for a little more than an hour, but every moment of it was so enjoyable that we didn't feel the time pass at all!

The show went beyond the already-famous apsara dance and showcased different aspects of Khmer traditional dance. Some were quite comical (particularly the ones featuring village life), some artistic (the Ramakien adaptation), others romantic (the fishing dance), but each and every set piece had something in common: that they were performed by young, aspiring artists truly enthusiastic about rebuilding the local arts scene. It truly was heartwarming to see local youths striving to keep the culture alive.

The only (minor) complaint I have is regarding the venue: since it's outside the National Museum, it can get quite hot at times and the humidity will probably leave you sweating at the end of the performance. The mosquitoes can be a problem too, so be sure to bring bug repellent. However, do keep in mind that in the greater scheme of things, these annoyances seem trivial and inconsequential when you compare it to the standard of artistry and quality of performance you'll get.

If you've visited the Tuol Sleng Genocidal Museum and the Choeung Ek Killing Fields on the same morning (like me), you'll find the performance to be an immensely inspiring, optimistic ending to a somber day. It truly filled me with hope for a nation bursting with up-and-coming artistic talents.

Which is to say I'd be the last to claim any knowledge of the subject but it was slick, pacy, the cast looked to be enjoying themselves and it's helping a good cause. What more do you need - and how often do you find it? Esp in SE Asia...