pwen.

1842 Asiatic Jrnl. & Monthly Reg. 37 ii. 47 The Maulmain Chronicle, of October 13th, states that Rangoon was full of troops, and that the king and his sons were winning golden opinions by their affability, and liberal allowance of pwais, dances, fighting, wrestling, &c.

1861 Chambers's Encycl. II. 443/1 A pooay, or theatrical representation, is a very favourite amusement.

1878 A. Fytche Burma II. i. 21 It is a strange and curious sight to see the large crowds of Burmese assembled for the night to witness the performance of a pooay, or play.

1893 Marquess of Lansdowne Let. 18 Nov. in Ld. Newton Lord Lansdowne (1929) iii. 116 We were treated to a pwé, or dance of Burmese girls.

1905 Statesman (Calcutta) 23 Aug. 5/3 The Chief Judge had to decide..whether a foot race fell within the definition of a ‘pwe’. A ‘pwe’ ordinarily means a puppet show or other theatrical..performance, or a native cart, pony, boat or water race held for the public entertainment.

1929 F. T. Jesse Lacquer Lady i. xii. 88 Each of the Princes..has his own pandal erected and has pwès acted for seven days.

1934 ‘G. Orwell’ Burmese Days viii. 129 They're having a pwe—that's a kind of Burmese play; a cross between a historical drama and a revue.

1971 National Geographic Mar. 349/1 Burmese still obey, as seen by their enthusiasm for the pwe, a marathon of drama, singing, dancing, and joke telling.

2006 N.Y. Times (Nexis) 7 May v. 1/1 Home to Myanmar's companies that put on pwes—a kind of vaudeville where actors perform into the early morning.