Kerala
'Paattabakki' on stage again
The play centres around the custom of 'Paattabakki,' the weapon wielded by landowners to exploit farmers who took land and paddy fields on lease.
The 1930s were a time of social turbulence in Kerala. Major changes in the social, political and economic spheres of life were in the offing. The Communist movement was making inroads into the social structure. Theatre, among other forms of cultural expressions, played a major role in the socio-political changes of those days.
The Malayalam play, 'Paattabakki,' was written by the late K. Damodaran, well-known Communist theoretician. Considered the first political drama of Kerala, it was said to be written in one single night, to be performed at a conference of the Karshaka Sangham, the farmers' guild of the Communist Party of India in Malabar.
The play was staged many times all over the State.
The story revolves around the obnoxious custom of 'Paattabakki,' the weapon wielded by land-owners to extort farmers who took land and paddy fields on lease. It had destroyed many a family and played havoc with the lives of ordinary people.
Almost six decades after its first performance in 1937, 'Paattabakki' is going to be staged again in Kochi under the banner of Lokadharmi. "Even six decades later, the play has not lost its relevance," says director Chandradasan. 'Paattabakki' has become obsolete now. But, the play continues to be relevant as long as an oppressive social system continues to exist, he points out.
Though didactic in nature, `Paattabakki' never raises any slogans, points out Chandradasan. The message is subtle and the play ends only with a hint towards the solution, without stating it explicitly.
The play will be performed for three consecutive days, for a limited audience of about 200, at the Changampuzha Park in the evenings, starting from Monday.
The audience was limited to give an experience of intimate theatre, says Mr. Chandradasan. The play has 16 characters and the story unfolds through four scenes, set in different locations.
The performance space at Changampuzha Park is demarcated into three spaces, which will in turn become the different venues in the play like the veranda of a hut, the house of the land-owner, the hop, police station and the brothel, said Chandradasan.
The performances on each day will be preceded by talks by M.K. Sanu (on Monday), on 'Paattabakki and Malayalam theatre'; P. Appukuttan on 'Paattabakki and Politics' (on Tuesday) and K.G. Paulose on 'The contemporary relevance of Paattabakki' (on Wednesday).
The audience will be admitted to the auditorium on first-come-first-serve basis.
The cast include Sukanya Shaji, Vijayakumar, Kalamandalam Kesavan, Govind Nambiar, T.S. Ashadevi, Ajikumar Thiruvankulam, N. Somasundaran, Sudheer Babu, Sherly Somasundaram, Rajesh Sharma, M.S. Raghunath, V.R. Selvaraj, Santhosh Piravam, Damodaran Nambootiri, Prasanth, Sanosh Palluruthy and Amar Mohan.
Music is by Bijibal, set by Sudheer Babu and property by Kannatte Kalesh.
The play is being produced in association with the Changampuzha Cultural Centre.
Renu Ramanath
(The Hindu-13/03/06, Monday)
'Paattabakki' on stage again
The play centres around the custom of 'Paattabakki,' the weapon wielded by landowners to exploit farmers who took land and paddy fields on lease.
The 1930s were a time of social turbulence in Kerala. Major changes in the social, political and economic spheres of life were in the offing. The Communist movement was making inroads into the social structure. Theatre, among other forms of cultural expressions, played a major role in the socio-political changes of those days.
The Malayalam play, 'Paattabakki,' was written by the late K. Damodaran, well-known Communist theoretician. Considered the first political drama of Kerala, it was said to be written in one single night, to be performed at a conference of the Karshaka Sangham, the farmers' guild of the Communist Party of India in Malabar.
The play was staged many times all over the State.
The story revolves around the obnoxious custom of 'Paattabakki,' the weapon wielded by land-owners to extort farmers who took land and paddy fields on lease. It had destroyed many a family and played havoc with the lives of ordinary people.
Almost six decades after its first performance in 1937, 'Paattabakki' is going to be staged again in Kochi under the banner of Lokadharmi. "Even six decades later, the play has not lost its relevance," says director Chandradasan. 'Paattabakki' has become obsolete now. But, the play continues to be relevant as long as an oppressive social system continues to exist, he points out.
Though didactic in nature, `Paattabakki' never raises any slogans, points out Chandradasan. The message is subtle and the play ends only with a hint towards the solution, without stating it explicitly.
The play will be performed for three consecutive days, for a limited audience of about 200, at the Changampuzha Park in the evenings, starting from Monday.
The audience was limited to give an experience of intimate theatre, says Mr. Chandradasan. The play has 16 characters and the story unfolds through four scenes, set in different locations.
The performance space at Changampuzha Park is demarcated into three spaces, which will in turn become the different venues in the play like the veranda of a hut, the house of the land-owner, the hop, police station and the brothel, said Chandradasan.
The performances on each day will be preceded by talks by M.K. Sanu (on Monday), on 'Paattabakki and Malayalam theatre'; P. Appukuttan on 'Paattabakki and Politics' (on Tuesday) and K.G. Paulose on 'The contemporary relevance of Paattabakki' (on Wednesday).
The audience will be admitted to the auditorium on first-come-first-serve basis.
The cast include Sukanya Shaji, Vijayakumar, Kalamandalam Kesavan, Govind Nambiar, T.S. Ashadevi, Ajikumar Thiruvankulam, N. Somasundaran, Sudheer Babu, Sherly Somasundaram, Rajesh Sharma, M.S. Raghunath, V.R. Selvaraj, Santhosh Piravam, Damodaran Nambootiri, Prasanth, Sanosh Palluruthy and Amar Mohan.
Music is by Bijibal, set by Sudheer Babu and property by Kannatte Kalesh.
The play is being produced in association with the Changampuzha Cultural Centre.
Renu Ramanath
(The Hindu-13/03/06, Monday)
posted by renuramanath at 4:59 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home