“Theatre essentially is a political mission,” theatre personality Karivallur Murali has said.
“The themes of theatre have always been the conflict between authority and public or between authority and creativity,” he said, during a discussion on ‘The theatre at present’ organised as part of a get-together of theatre persons in Kozhikode on Sunday.
Mr. Murali pointed out that not representing the changing times, side-lining history and neglecting the text have been the biggest negative trends in theatre around the world at all times. “Plays that do not provoke anyone or even raise eyebrows are useless,” he said.
Theatre activist Chandrasekharan Thikkodi criticised the increasing importance given to the spectacle, including lights and the sets, in theatre at present. “Lighting is for theatre and not the vice versa. Experiments should not be for experiments’ sake,” he said.
Academic K.K. Purushothaman said the purpose of theatre was to produce an active spectator who is capable of interfering in social issues. He spoke about the need to teach theatre to students at the school-level to help them to be better individuals with empathy, and better speaking, acting and writing skills. Theatre persons V.K. Prabhakaran, Rajan Thiruvoth and academic Mini I.G. also spoke.
Three books by noted journalist and writer K. Sreekumar — Arangu , Adutha Bell and Raja Part — were released on the occasion. Writer U.A. Khader, actor Nilambur Ayisha, musician Wilson Samuel and lyricist Ramesh Kavil were present.
