Maverick filmmaker John Abraham’s ‘Naikkali’ (The Game of the Dogs), conceived and presented some 32 years ago at Fort Kochi as an open-ended political theatrical performance offering space for the audience to intervene and contribute, had an adaptation of it presented in part at the Nanappa Art Gallery on Sunday.
Ramachandran Mokeri, former director of the School of Drama in Thrissur, who reinvented the play involving a unique game reminiscent of chess two years ago, led the presentation. Two performance texts penned by him — Naikkali-Natakam and Fragmentos (comprising Mid-Nightmares of Freedom and Brecht: A Third World Beggar’s Opera) were released on the occasion by actor and director Joy Mathew, Mr. Mokeri’s disciple at the School of Drama.
Performers Kabani, Madhu Mavelikkara, Sali Muhammad and Sivadas Puthenthodu rendered parts of the play, which has an evolutionary, but adaptable content to suit any performance site. ‘Naikkali’ has a central performer, a guitar-wielding Mr. Mokeri flitting in and out of roles such as that of a filmmaker, hunter and the like, and the rest of the pack play the commoner — the underdog whose predicament never gets better.
E.P. Joseph, an associate of John Abraham, spoke.
M.M. Somasekharan, who facilitated the play’s performance earlier, presided over the function. Priest Payas Pazherikkal received the first copies of the books.
