Life in the Salvadoran civil unrest

The Hindu MetroPlus Theatre Fest is back. Action starts on August 8 with A Peasant of El Salvador

July 31, 2014 06:09 pm | Updated November 13, 2021 10:33 am IST - Kochi

FOR MP

FOR MP

Theatre is back in the city with the fourth edition of The Hindu MetroPlus Theatre Fest. Three days of drama, fun and laughter await lovers of onstage histrionics. Featuring three plays with something on offer for everyone, find some time to unwind and take in the sights and sounds of the stage.

A Peasant of El Salvador, QTP, Mumbai

A Peasant of El Salvador is a riveting, funny and heart-warming story of a hill farmer and his family set against the backdrop of the Salvadoran civil unrest of the 1970s. Directed by Quasar Thakore Padamsee, it tells the story of a peasant named Jesus who has a big heart, a big family and a small piece of land. The peasant, one of hundreds like him, patiently waits for things to change in the face of a military dictatorship, sweeping land reforms, death squads, guerrilla warfare and unprecedented repression. Three narrators take us on a journey to a time and place far removed from us, where the sweat is salty, the corn is sweet, and the feuds are bitter.

Having completed 15 years, QTP has grown to become among the most vibrant theatre organisations in the country.

More than 20 productions have been staged under the QTP banner including META-nominated So Many Socks (2012), Khatijabai of Karmali Terrace (2004) and Crab (2007). It has been involved with international projects such as Gates to India Song and The Merchants of Bollywood as well as internationally acclaimed productions such as A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Nirbhaya . QTP has also been the flag-bearer of youth theatre in the country since 1999 with its annual festival Thespo.

This play is being produced by special arrangement with the playwrights, Peter Gould and Stephen Stearns, who began touring the original two-man drama in 1982.

Quasar Thakore Padamsee

A Peasant of El Salvador

What was the key inspiration behind your production?

I had read the play quite a few years ago, while I was researching for another play called Project S.t.r.i.p. While the story appealed to me, it seemed like a world far too remote from us. However, it was a play I kept recommending to people who asked for interesting plays. Last year, I thought maybe I should re-read it and find out why I kept trying to goad other people to do it. When I did, I found that it was a story that needed to be told, and that’s what drew me to it. The play is beautifully crafted, and now five years later, I am confident enough in my craft to do justice to such an important story.

While re-reading it, I also found that we know very little about what happened in Central America in the 80s. Our world view is limited. The play talks about events that were incredibly important in the history of the region. The other thing is that what was going on in El Salvador in the 70s bears striking resemblance to what is happening in our country today. We should learn from history and these stories. We are following similar economic models, where it is more important to sell food than to eat it.

How does the civil unrest in the Salvadorian countryside become relevant to viewers today?

Much as we’d like to think the events happened in a far away exotic locale, the fact is that the same conditions are being recreated today in the heart of India. While we are a democracy, compared to the Salvadorian dictatorship, there are still huge areas of this country where farmers and tribals are being pushed off their lands without a voice. People being locked up for no reason and no bail, similar death squads, censorship etc. are all happening in India as well. Economically too, we have opened up to the glories of Western market forces and interests, similar to El Salvador of the time. The play is as much a story of what happened in El Salvador as it is of what can happen in India in the near future.

Your play uses English, Hindi and a smattering of Spanish as well. How come?

Well, the play is actually written in English and Spanish. I wasn’t looking for a Spanish speaking actor but Suhaas happened to be quite fluent in the language, so that was a bonus. However, the narrative is told by all three performers. The rest of the cast are not Spanish-fluent, but I still wanted to be true to the writer’s original bi-lingualism. So in some parts, we’ve substituted the Spanish for Hindi. Audiences seem to have felt that the Hindi makes the play more accessible, and not just some firangi story.

The Thespo youth theatre festival initiated by you attracts many talented youngsters to theatre. What is your take on the future of theatre in India?

The future of theatre is bright and beautiful. Each year I sit in the auditorium during Thespo, jealous of the ideas and talent on offer. There are some very brave performers, and more people are taking the craft seriously. The level of professionalism and intelligence and experimentation is outstanding. Amatya Goradia, Dharmakirti Sumant, Suraj Parasnis, Anvay Sudarshan, Keshav Moodliar, Siddhesh Purkar are all unbelievable talents. Writing, directing, performing and excitingly in a wide array of languages. Theatre in India, particularly Bombay, is where it is today because of the talent that came through Thespo about 10 or so years ago. I’m very excited to see where we will be 10 years from now.

>See the full MPTF 2014 schedule here

>Tickets for all shows can be purchased online here

Log on to >www.thehindu.com/theatrefest

Twitter:>@TheHinduTheatre

Facebook:>MetroPlus Theatre Fest 2014

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