Sambath, Acrobat of the Phare Circus: “Everyone must adapt their attitude to their character”

Rattanaksombath Mony, better known as Sambath, is an acrobat, juggler, and dancer with the Phare Circus. The performances of this Cambodian circus blend comedy, tragedy, and high-flying acts. The institution was created by the philanthropic school Phare Ponleu Selpak in Battambang, which aims to lift children from the region out of poverty by training them in the arts. Phare offers a true narrative combined with circus performances. Recently, the public had the opportunity to enjoy the story of a young Cambodian man, played by Sambath, who faces discrimination in his native village and must confront others’ perceptions and assert himself. At 25 years old, the native of Battambang province has had the opportunity to perform in Thailand, Bangladesh, England, Germany, and France. He is now a key figure in the Phare Circus projects. 

Interview. How long have you been involved in Phare Circus performances ?

I started getting involved and receiving circus training at the age of 10 at the Phare Ponleu Selpak school in Battambang. I’ve been performing in Phare Circus shows in Siem Reap since 2013, and I was 15 when I started.   

What motivated you to join this project? 

At first, I went to this school because it was close to my home. I could have breakfast and dinner there. I didn’t really know what studying meant, but I stayed there for a while. A few years later, I joined the artistic training program. I first studied music because I liked to sing, but that only lasted a week. Then, I tried to learn painting, but that was brief as well, lasting only three days. But when I saw a circus demonstration by the school's artists, I felt a lot of love and interest, and I immediately decided that I wanted to learn stunts and acrobatics.  

(Interaction between Sambath and a Phare Circus performer)

How much time do you spend training? 

Training at the school used to be much more intense. I used to spend 8 hours a day practicing acrobatics. But since joining the Phare Circus, I only have 3 hours of training per day because we have performances every night.

What is your role in the Phare Circus performances? 

I perform acrobatics, aerial stunts, juggling with bouncing balls, dancing, and teeterboard stunts.  

The performances you do for Phare Circus are both circus and theatrical…

That's right. We aim to help the audience understand the meaning of the story more easily during each performance, and we also blend traditional Khmer music with modern music.

There is a real narrative feeling in your works. Do you need to work on your acting skills?

Yes, we need to perfect our roles. When we work on the performance, each person must adapt their attitude according to their character, so that all the spectators watching the show can feel the realism of the story.  

(The movements must be perfectly coordinated)

What do the dialogues with the directors preparing the performances look like? 

We communicate a lot with the group of artists and the director before our performance. Sometimes, I tell them that I want to change my role or that I don't want to do certain acrobatics because they might be dangerous for the group.

What is your relationship with the other artists at Phare Circus like, especially when handling high-intensity combinations?

Working with other artists can be a mix of difficulty and ease, as teamwork inevitably involves some jealousy, but above all it involves mutual understanding, tolerance, and cooperation. Everyone loves each other – it’s really the pursuit of perfection and performance that drives this. Above all, we are a family.  

(Sambath in the middle of the Phare Circus troupe)