Kathakali is a dance form known for its gripping narrative and music, with artists enacting episodes from the Ramayana and Mahabharata during all-night performances at temples in Kerala. The elaborate and traditional make-up and costume turn it into a colourful spectacle.
In the recent past though there has been a shift in the presentation format. Kathakali performers have begun to adapt stories from other cultures to widen their reach. ‘Hela’, which premiered at Kalakshetra recently, was a re-creation of Euripides play.
“This is not the first time this kind of attempt is being made. Way back in the 1980s, my guru Keezhpadam Kumaran Nair started expanding the repertoire and my learning with him was my training ground in creative thinking,” says Sadanam.
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Talking about why he chose this Greek tale, the veteran artist says, “While reading this story I found that it had a lot of similarities to the Ramayana. It speaks of separation, the heroine's chastity, evil king, and finally the reunion of the lead pair. Therefore, I thought, it would be ideal for adaptation.”
Based on an English language translation, he set out to translate the story, dialogue and poetry into Manipravalam and wrote a script for a theatrical presentation. He roped in a set of talented musicians to work on it. “ They suggested appropriate ragas for the situations and together we worked on it.”
As far as costume goes, Sadanam chose to maintain the Kathakali style with minor changes like adding swastika symbols for Greek characters and simpler headgear for the soldiers and attendants. The traditional
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As for funds, he says, besides the grant received from the Department of Culture, Kalakshetra Foundation came forward with additional support. On the challenges of using Kalakshetra dancers who are not full-fledged Kathakali artists, the director says, “I worked on their strengths and choreographed the scenes maintaining the basic framework of the form. The dancers worked hard to master the movements, and I must commend them for their effort”.
“‘Hela’ has been an exciting experience for me,” says Sadanam. Besides performing extensively as an individual artist, he has lent a refreshing touch to the plays written by him with innovative choreography and musical score. Shakespeare’s ‘Othello’, Corneille’s ‘Le Cid’, Euripides’s Greek tragedy, ‘The Bacchae’ are some of his acclaimed works. Recipient of many awards, Sadanam is a fine amalgam of a purist and futuristic artist.