Kathakali buffs in Thiruvananthapuram got the opportunity to watch three Kathakali plays — Keechakavadham, Utharaswayamvaram and Dakshayagam, penned by court poet par excellence Irayimman Thampi (1783-1856), at Drisyavedi’s 30th Keralanatyolsavam.
Keechaka’s fall
Kottakkal Kesavan Kundalayar as Keechakan and Peesappally Rajeevan as Sairandhri in Keechakavadham
The curtain rose after Kottakkal Kesavan Kundalayar’s presentation of the fall of Keechaka in Keechakavadham . Kundalayar depicted Keechaka in the typical Northern style. To that he added subtle innovations pregnant with several layers of suggestive meanings. He observed that the bewitchingly beautiful hair of Sairandhri was left untied. His minimalistic act of Keechaka being strangled was praiseworthy.
Peesappally Rajeevan as Sairandhri showcased the best that can be expected but one wondered if his physique was suitable for the role. Queen Sudeshna and Valala enacted by Haripriya Nambudiri and Margi Suresh respectively left nothing to be desired.
Nuanced acting
The sterling performance of Ettumanoor Kannan as Duryodhana and Kalamandalam Shanmukhan as Brihannala presented several unforgettable moments. The slowest tempo piece (‘pathinja padam’) of Duryodhana in Utharaswayamvaram (Poorvabhagam) has at least three touchstones of histrionic skills — the first is the pleasant similarity between Bhanumathi, the queen, and the garden; the second one a peacock’s dance triggered by the bird mistaking the heroine’s hair for rain clouds and the last one the plight of the legendary ‘koki’ (the female of ‘koka’, a type of swan ) whose one eye, filled with sorrow is set on her spouse, while the other eye, immersed in anger, is fixed on the moon-like face of Bhanumathi. Condensing the first two, Kannan laudably elaborated the last one, known in Kathakali parlance as ‘ekalochanam’ (one eye). His transformational acting as the ‘koki’ bird was marvellous.
Kalamandalam Adithyan as Utharan and Kalamandalam Shanmughan as Brihannala in Utharaswayamvaram
Kalamandalam Jishnu Ravi, donning the role of Bhanumathi, excelled in emotional acting. His sparkling presentation spilled sensuousness, bringing to light all the nuances involved in the exquisite pada Sundara srinu kaanta..., rendered mellifluously by Kottakkal Madhu and Kalamandalam Vinod in Yadukulakamboji and Kharaharapriya.
Hari R. Nair and Niraj showcased the different dimensions of the two major red-beard characters, namely Thrigartha and Virabhadra in the style they learned at Kalamandalam.
In Utharaswayamvaram (Utharabhagam), Kalamandalam Shanmughan’s Brihannala proved to be a treat. His narration of Urvasi’s curse that made him a eunuch and his behaviour towards the naïve prince Utharan, donned by Kalamandalam Adithyan, were superb, attesting to his excellence as an actor.
Margi Vijayakumar’s presentation of Kripa’s single padam in Vrindavanasaramgam... , full of sarcasm aimed at Karna, was first rate.
While depicting the life of the Pandavas and Panchali, all in disguise, in the royal palace of Virata, Thampi provides a vivid picture of the life of the higher ups, of how they are immersed in sensual pleasures and luxuries, entirely unmindful of the common people’s plight, obviously reflecting the playwright’s concern about similar aspects of the atmosphere in the palace he was all too familiar with.
Sparkling performances
Rajeev, an amateur in the field, presented a scintillating performance as Siva in Dakshayagam . Kalamandalam Vipin who had to exchange his role as Daksha’s spouse, Vedavalli, with Margi Vijayakumar who was assigned the role of Sathi rose to the occasion and provided room for Kalamandalam Gopi’s performance in the first two scenes of Dakshayagam , with his co-actor Vijayakumar.
Although Dakshayagam commenced late and the thespian’s kalasams were too mild, presumably, on account of his advancing age, his appearance itself on the stage along with Vijayakumar proved to be a mesmerising treat.
On a high note
The matchless quatrains and songs of Thampi were rendered to captivating music by a competent team that included Pathiyoor Sankarankutty, Kottakkal Madhu, Kalanilayam Rajeevan and alumni of Kalamandalam. But some young singers’ frequent reference to the literary text of even Thampi’s well-known episodes robbed their rendition of necessary liveliness and context sensitivity.
Veteran as well as promising young artistes handled the percussion throughout the fest. The inaugural piece of the event was Haripriya Nambudiri’s presentation of the famous lullaby Omanathingal… in the Kathakali format. It left the impression that the piece is far more suitable to be presented in the style of Mohiniyattam by appropriately abridging the text.
