Theatre is a form of self-expression. Today, if you see a renewed interest in the art form, it is because of two significant reasons: one is that many youngsters want to experiment; they want to do something new with their mind and body and become more comfortable with themselves, and the other is that in the last 10 years or so, theatre has become so much more accessible. It is not that niche, elitist activity anymore.
Of course, just the way several youngsters are lured to the field of cinema or politics or anything else that can make you rich or famous or powerful sooner, there are a whole bunch of people who are taking to theatre also because of a certain glamour quotient attached to it.
However, I can tell you that it is not easy to win, and only the genuine ones, the ones who have their heart and soul in it, will be able to survive here; the others will naturally get eliminated.
ChallengesThat apart, I have been in the performing arts’ space for almost 10-years now, and I can say that it is a challenge to make a living out of theatre; it is possible, but only with enormous hard-work and commitment.
Theatre is a nascent profession, but that is about it. There are no specific or defined roles in this space. A person cannot make a living out of just acting, or just writing scripts or just designing costumes. To be able to sustain in theatre, one must learn the craft of the art itself.
In fact, the mushrooming of young theatre groups and training initiatives are conscious efforts of making theatre more accessible. I must say that these young companies are far better than what amateur theatre was 10 years ago.
There is Stray Factory, a young and promising theatre company, who stage incredibly innovative ideas, interspersed with interesting digital support. Then there is Crea-Shakti that is focusing on extensive theatre training for students from schools and colleges.
We, at Evam, have founded Sideways Training, where we use arts-based methodologies to train corporate houses and educational institutions in soft skills. These, I can say are the solutions and answers to a hopeful future for theatre.
People who take up the art form as a hobby cannot contribute to the longevity of it. They might enjoy themselves and have a great time, and that’s about it. Only those who fall in love with it, make a living out it, and are determined to stay and sustain in it, are those who hold the future of theatre in their hands. It has been 10 years since we started Evam, and with only a 14-member team, we have created a space for ourselves in three countries. So it is surely possible!
