The ninth edition of the International Theatre Festival of Kerala (ITFoK) began here on Monday. Minister for Culture A.K. Balan inaugurated the nine-day festival.
The Minister presented the Akademi’s Ammannur Puraskaram at the function. Eminent theatre personalities late Heisnam Kanhailal and his wife and artiste Sabitri Heisnam were the winners of this year’s Ammannur Puraskaram.
The award carries ₹3 lakh and a statue designed by B.D. Dhathan. Kanhailal, founder-director of Kalakshetra, Manipur, was known for experimental theatre. Sabithri is also a theatre person and Padma awardee.
Udaluravu... Uyirezhuthu... Udaleduppu, a 30-minute show by eminent theatre director Sankar Venkateswaran and team, was presented at the inaugural function. It was a “response in the body towards various powers that regulate, oppress and restrict the possibilities of how a human body can inhabit and exist in a space.”
Lost Wheels of Time , a 60-minute German-Israel production, was the opening play of the festival. Created and performed by Adam Read and Fyodor Makarov, the visual clown show had a simple story about the relationship between two eccentric, cartoon-like characters.
The show — a fusion of drama, dance, clowning, circus, and children’s theatre — was a philosophical reflection upon issues of man versus Nature, old age versus youth, compassion versus egoism.
ITFoK-2017 has special focus on street performances. The festival will reach across the streets and stadia, presenting an all new experience for the art lovers as well as the general public. There will be more than 60 shows in 14 venues at the festival.
The event will conclude on February 28.
