The 5th edition of the four-day multilingual theatre fest of Rasagna at Kalabharati, Visakhapatnam showcased theatrical talents of troupes from across regions. Hindi, Telugu and Kannada were among the languages in which the plays were presented.
With varied themes exploring life in divergent scenarios, and genres including folklore, it was thoroughly cerebral brainy fare all through, save a few less serious strands of thought. While some troupes picked up plots with intense dramatic element, some had a comedic thread and some others had a novelette-like theme. True, there is no bar on picking any theme for theatrical presentation, but a twist in a tale can never adequately substitute quintessential dramatic element worth the term in the plot of any play.
If theatre is essentially a director’s medium, then Hyderabad-based Nishumbhita’s enactment of Srushitiloni Chivari Manavudu (the last man in creation) has testified it in no mean measure. An adaptation of Dharmveer Bharati’s Hindi play Srishti ka Akhri Aadmi , scripted by noted playwright of yesteryear NR Nandi, it was about the travails of folk under the dominance of despotic power.
Opened with a commoners submissive behaviour posed as self-restraint in a milieu that is immune to reason and expression, the sheer visual impact of the scene with fear writ large on faces in well co-ordinated patterns of movements involving leaps, jumps and near pirouettes, it vivified the plight and helplessness of the meek and the weak.
Blame it on anything one may like to, but the fact remains that state power plays BIG Brother and resultant brutal decimation of freedom of speech in the absence of all control exercised by reason, outside of all ethical and moral preoccupation form the crux of narrative. Laden with a thick surrealistic streak, the textual vigour of the play stood translated into an absorbing visual prodding the audience to wear thinking caps.
It excelled in exposing the social construct of power flow from the seat of authority that always tends to keep the ruled under its sharp leash and elucidation of trials and tribulations of non-straight characters suggestive of the common folk.
Manteswamy Katha Prasanga, a Kannada folk play effectively displayed life and works of the eponymous Veerashaiva saint and Hindi play Tax Free dealt with dreamy thoughts of the blind in a lighter vein, Buddhimati ki Bhains , Barbareek , Kannada play Taledanda and Chalam’s Maidanam and other performances evoked good response.
