A total of 12 plays from across the country have been selected for the second edition of Theruvarangu-2016, the street festival held in memory of Bharat-award winning actor and theatre personality P.J. Antony.
The plays, handpicked from 20-odd scripts examined by festival director and theatre personality Chandradasan and poet and Ernakulum Public Library president S. Rameshan, will be presented between February 14 and 17 across four venues, namely the Public Library, Vallathol Smaraka Vayanasala at Pookkattupadi, Grameena Vayanasala at Manjummal and at Mannathur Junction, where the performances are jointly organised by Aju Foundation, Muvattupuzha and Yuvadhara, Maradi.
Three plays will be presented at each venue daily from 5.30 p.m.
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“There will be 48 performances in all and each venue will get to host performance of all plays,” M. Baiju, festival coordinator said.
Prominent theatre activists such as Malashree Hashmi (Jana Natya Manch, New Delhi), Probir Guha (Alternative Living Theatre, Kolkata), Prem Prasad (Jana Nayana), K.G. Paulose, Gopan Chidambaram, N.R. Gramaprakash, Karivelloor Murali, T.M. Abraham, A.R. Ratheesan, N. Sasidharan, Sajitha Madathil, and K.V. Ganesh will attend the event.
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The organisers said that the aim of the festival is to popularise theatre presentation in a way that helps unravel the philosophy and aesthetics of street play performances.
“Theruvarangu-2016 reminds us of the need to revitalise the strength and communal togetherness of the street in a globalised socio-economic order in which people have, largely, withdrawn into themselves. Street plays are significant as a campaign tool and as a public form of protest. It presents a radical alternative to the elite theatre culture, showcasing in the process the radical, protest-driven aesthetics of the masses,” they said.
This year, Theruvarangu will showcase Another Rainbow directed by Probir Guha, Ella Poomukhathum Patti Kayarum directed by Jaison Guruvayoor, Aarkkanu Bhranthu by Sujith Edakkad, Ottappettavarude Sabdam by Pradeep Airapuram, Varthamanam by Shabu K. Madhavan, ECG by Jayachandran Thakazhikkaran, Njangalkku Oru Adukkala Undaayirunnu by A. Santhakumar, Uravu by Sherly Somasundaram, Kurangu Manushyan by Manoj Narayanan, Nammadu Jaddu by K.V. Ganesh, Kadalirampunnu, Kadu Kathunnu by T. Suresh Babu, and Peppattikale Sookshikkuka by M. Pradeepan.