The Hindu : Kerala / Kochi News : Search for exclusive performing space

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Monday, Oct 13, 2008
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Kerala - Kochi

Search for exclusive performing space

KOCHI: Almost all theatre personalities who converged here recently to participate in the National Theatre Festival organised by the Ernakulam Press Club had one question to ask: why is the State missing a quality performing space?

Actor Nedumudy Venu’s experience was that performing spaces available in the State are hardly dedicated to theatre. They are basically convention centres, marriage halls or venues for public meetings that also host theatre performances. It is high time Malayalam has a performing space dedicated to theatre. As filmmaker and theatre person M.S. Sathyu, who inaugurated the theatre festival, pointed out, there should be a space like Ranga Shankara in Bangalore, where the air-conditioned theatre space with proper acoustics and lighting facilities is rented out for as low a rent as Rs.2,500 a day for theatre performances.

“No person is allowed into the hall once the play starts. This brings in a sense of discipline among theatre-goers as well,” he said. If the Kochi Corporation has its way, the city will have a similar facility. It has acquired land at Pachalam, just off the city centre, to build a theatre space in memory of P.J. Antony. “The idea is to create a space which is dedicated to theatre, with facilities for staging all sorts of theatre performances, to do rehearsals and accommodation for artistes coming,” said handradasan, director of Lokadharmi, who has been involved in the project since it was mooted in 2006. The completion of this theatre complex should give the much needed impetus for the revival of mainstream Malayalam theatre.

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