In recent years, the plays enacted in the High School section at the State School Arts Festival were considered better than those in the Higher Secondary section. However, this time around, viewers said the drama competition in the Higher Secondary category at the Zamorin’s School Ground on Sunday far exceeded expectations.
Badiyadka , a play by GHSS Karuppadanna, Thrissur, came in for applause among the first 10 plays to be staged. The play, based on a short story by the same name by S. Sithara, was notable for the stunning performance of the entire cast and perfection in all aspects from casting to costumes. Amidst plays that depended too much on stage settings, Badiyadka stood out for its minimal settings and simplicity.
Sadya by SNDPHSS, Udayamperoor, Ernakulam, too won praise for the delivery of a sensational and serious topic in a satirical manner. The play had 32 characters, portrayed by just 7 actors, all of whom were girls. With a feministic theme, the play received wide applause for certain scenes.
Maoist , a play based on a short story by the same name by S. Hareesh, was presented by SVGVHSS, Kidangannoor, Pathanamthitta. The play was notable for its take on the Maoist situation and a person’s right to freedom, from the point of view of two buffaloes. The play Perfume was notable for the acting skills of the two lead characters, especially the one without a name. The play, again featuring only girls, had minimal stage settings.
Too many stage settings affected the presentation of many plays like December , Vethalam Parayatha Katha , Thokku , and Samayakazhcha . The settings diverted the viewers’ attention from the performance.
Like in the High School category competition, the audience jury under the banner of Cultural Initiative collective was active in the Higher Secondary category too. Film-makers Mohan, M.G. Sasi, play director Emil Madhavi, and writer Civic Chandran were seated in the front row.
