The frightening influences of manipulative market forces in the lives of common man and the cruel ways their wicked designs make innocent lives complicated are the dominant theme of Radhakrishnan Perambra’s plays.
Each of his works stem from the complete conviction that theatre cannot be a mere visual spectacle, far removed from the stark realities of life. They take the viewers straight to the conflicts brought by certain hidden forces in the lives of common man in the pretext of ‘solutions,’ ‘answers’ and ‘consolations’ for different ‘problems’ they themselves have created with a hideous foresight. In engagingly novel ways the works would tell the spectators that all such ‘answers’ and ‘solutions’ were only different forms of baits used by the divisive and exploitative forces on their hooks to lure the preys.
“Globalisation is one form of such baits, which often come with a fascinating face. Each of Mr. Perambra’s works is a brilliant reminder of how easily the common man succumbs to such baits,” says noted dramatist A. Santhakumar in the preface to his first collection of works, ‘Red Alert.’ The book was released by writer T.P. Rajeevan at a public function here on Monday.
‘Red Alert’ comprises six plays, including ‘Merikkundoru Kunhadu,’ which recently won him the State-level Villyappalli Rajan Award for the best play. Majority of his works in the collection, including ‘Choonda ’ whichbeautifully portrays how craftily Corporate and capitalist forces make use of even the organic art form of theatre for their selfish ends, are distinctly political in their content as well as treatment.
“Only someone who has deeply realised the true politics of life can infuse such profound themes to one’s literary works,” continues Mr. Santhakumar in the preface.
All the six works in the collection, including ‘Vellakkuthirayum Koottukarum,’ ‘Photo Synthesis,’ ‘ Virus ’ and ‘Red Alert,’ have been staged in different State and district-level school youth festivals across the State. “They have won the first prizes on several occasions,” says Mr. Perambra, who is a pharmacist with the Medical Education Department (MED).
The collection is published by the Kozhikode-based Green Room publishing house.
