From the city known for its theatre heritage, 10 girls went to Kannur last week with a play, their only aim being to spread awareness on spaces for women.
Back in the city, they have won not just a thousand hearts, but also the third prize in high school category at the State School Arts Festival.
Sada-charam (intended to be confused with ‘sadacharam’ or morality), the play by students of St. Vincent Higher Secondary School for Girls, demands a public space for women in society and not just a female space that is often extended to them in the form of alms.
The play questions why ‘Nirbhaya’ and ‘Soumya’ happened and insists that women should raise their voice. It also decries the phenomenon of ‘moral policing’ in society.
The play was not originally produced to be part of the art festival season. Sada-charam (Always Ash) was the product of a 15-day theatre camp at the school under the aegis of Chilanka Floating Theatre.
Under the tutelage of Bichoos Chilanka, the students learnt everything from scripting to make-up to stage arrangements.
“The students were just given the thread of the story. They collected background information from the media and wrote dialogues. They created the set themselves and also did direction, music and make-up,” said Mr. Bichoos.
The Sada-charam team comprises Meghana Rajeevan (team leader), Abisha P. (stage manager), Ansita Jordy (music), Helna M. (costume), Nandana (property), Soorya and Sandra (stage setting), Gopika (make-up) and Arya Praveen and Vaishnavi Mohan. The play was first staged at the Kozhikode Town Hall, a performance that earned them the P.V. Madhavi award.
The play had finished fifth at the Kozhikode Revenue District Arts Festival and as an appeal entry into the State-level, scored better marks than the designated entry from the district and two other appeal entries to get the third prize as well as the Best Actress award for Soorya Shaji K., who performed the lead role of ‘Pennu’.
“We had a message to convey and what better avenue could we ask for other than the State School Arts Festival? But our appeal was rejected by the DDE and Lokayukta. Our students represented themselves without the help of an advocate at the Kerala State Commission for the Protection of Child Rights. They promised chairperson Shobha Koshy that they would make the message of the play heard across the State and their appeal was granted,” said Mr. Bichoos.
The students also propagated a superior theatre culture, making competition irrelevant. Mr. Bichoos had conducted a similar camp at the Government Higher Secondary School, Kuttikkattor, whose play Mannira did not get selected to the State festival. However, the two teams had developed a bonding. The Mannira team accompanied the Sada-charam team to Kannur and helped them, proving that the spirit of theatre was beyond competition.
