Sacred Heart College, Tirupattur, Vellore district, has turned into a beehive of activity with a theatre workshop on in full swing. The initiative is led by a group of parallel drama enthusiasts, including the college principal, T. Maria Antonyraj, Additional Principal K.A. Maria Arokyaraj, K. Parthibaraja and a host of others, who are specialists in technical and aesthetic aspects.
The first workshop of the college was held in 2003. The response forced the organisers to extend the camp to 11 days with the participants staying on campus. The increase in number was tackled by splitting the trainees into groups. The training, now in progress is the 16th edition, in which 100 enthusiasts are participating. They are groomed by experts, who have rich experience in the genre. The list includes S. Ravindran, V. Arumugam, Pralayan, R. Raju, Nagabhushana Rao, Krishnamurthi Gaudar, Koothuppattarai Somasundaram and Bhaskar, P. Akhila, Yoga Krishnan, Manimaran of Buddhar Kalai Kuzhu and K. Parthibaraja.
The highlight of the camp is the four-day drama festival, May 28-31. C. Mounaguru, Head of the Department of Fine Arts, East University, Sri Lanka, will inaugurate the event at 4.30 p.m. Hailing from Mattakalappu, Mounaguru is celebrated as the architect of the refurbished form of traditional Koothu. Two veterans of parallel theatre will be honoured on the occasion. M. Ariyanayagam, Head, Association of French Tamil Art and Culture, and editor, Udal , will present the Prof. S. Ramanujam Memorial Award to Prasanna Ramaswamy, eminent playwright, who focuses on the downtrodden. Bangalore-based Bharati Mani, writer-actor, will present the Pariksha Gnani Award to S.M.A. Ram, writer-actor-director, who has several publications to his credit.
Young talent gets a boost in the form of Promising Dramatist Award. The nominees are Gopi and Aswini Kasi. Born in Puducherry, Gopi is an artist, who found in theatre an ideal vehicle to express his support for the oppressed. An actor too, he has written and directed several plays, documentaries and short films.
A granddaughter of Purisai Kannappa Thambiran, Aswini has been a part of the Therukoothu movement since 2007 and has acted in plays of the parallel genre, including those directed by Prasana Ramaswamy.
The plays to be featured in the festival are:
May 28, 6.30 p.m.: ‘Maradiyana’ by Nadagasalai is an adaptation of Vayalar Ramavarma’s poem on Thadaga of the Ramayana. Young Madusri has given dramatic shape to the verse and it is her dance-drama. The cast includes Madusri, Bhagirati, Devika, Akila and children.
May 28, 7.30 p.m. ‘Balloon’ by Pariksha. Originally written and directed by Gnani, the play is at present directed by Arpudan Vijay (Nagarajan).
May 29, 6.30 p.m.: ‘Virali,’ contemporary dance, which aims to communicate concepts of ‘Waiting,’ ‘Connection’ and ‘Touch’ through body language. Designed and presented by P. Akhila, who has trained in Kalari and Thappattam and has travelled with Padmini Chetur across Europe.
May 29, 7.30 p.m.: Visaranai by Parallel Drama Movement. The story is about the suicide of a girl and the inquiry taken up by a police officer. Written and directed by veteran K. Parthibaraja.
May 30, 6.30 p.m.: ‘Naan Savitribaiyai Padikkiraen’ by Yazh Kalai Maiyyam, Puducherry. Gna. Gopi is the writer-director.
May 30, 7.30: Pralayan’s ‘Naveena Matha Vilasa Brahachanam’ by Chennai Kalai Kuzhu
May 31, 6.30 p.m.: Koothuppattarai presents the famous ‘Brahannnalai,’ followed at 8 p.m. by ‘Kaalikku Kooli Kooriyadu,’ by Thalaikkol, Puducherry.
