Murugaboopathy’s plays emerge out of an understanding that drama is the communal form of literature and his latest one ‘ Neer Nadodigal ’ (Nomads of Water) by Manalmagudi Theatre Land too does not deviate much from that perception.
Staged in association with the Arul Anandar College and the Drama Club of PSG College of Arts and Science, Coimbatore, Neer Nadodigal tries to highlight the significance of protecting water bodies and when things get out of control the play reminds us of nature’s brute power to put life back in order. The nomadic nature of water is put to good use as the director uses the imagery to depict his characters.
From time immemorial there has been a healthy dialogue between humans and nature. Water has been the base for building community and it is evident from the fact that civilisations flourished along river basins. Increased dependence on water is a cause of violence and the capacity to respond to the natural calamities is also decreasing. The play highlights all these points.
The director uses plenty of imageries that carry the play forward. He equates the flood ravaged town to that of a battlefield like the scene where dress materials are left abandoned and one character in full throated voice shouts, “ Angawastharam, kaal sattai …” as if calling people to identify their clothes. “Clothes are one of the symbols of a civilised society. In a flood ravaged town, things that are left out are these clothes,” says Murugaboopathy. Also the director visualises the clothes as dead bodies of humans and women are seen wailing over the death of their beloved ones.
The play revolves around the natural disasters and talks about human helplessness. The director reminds audience of the deluges that submerged societies, cultures and the chaos that prevailed. “It can mean Lemuria or even Dhanushkodi,” he says.
He also gives a mythical quality to love and talks about honour killing in the scene where the mob overpowers the lovers who lose their identity.
He uses a variety of instruments like didgeridoos and drums to enhance the emotions arising out of pain and suffering. The ringing of Tibetan bowls and the actors’ frustrated cries call for attention. The play has seven scenes and from outside it appears to be disjointed as it travels back and forth in time but the uniting factor is the central theme.
It all started when Murugaboopathy was busy with a theatre workshop at the PSG College of Arts and Science. “Four days into the workshop, the magic happened when the highly motivated participants broke biological boundaries and totally surrendered. It inspired me to write this play,” he says. Unlike his other plays where the process from pre-production to stage consumed a lot of time, this play was ready for stage in just 28 days. Of the 30 actors 17 were girls, who stunned the audience with their emotional drama. The professionalism they showed was second to none. Each actor played his or her role with supreme confidence.
With less use of words and more of sound and action, the play provided plenty of scope for audience to introspect. “Our aim is to create a cultured audience and a culture-conscious audience. Hope plays like these would make my job easier,” says Murugaboopathy, who already had started his next project on puppetry and this time around he has planned to involve students of Arul Anandar College.
