OF MYTHOLOGY AND LEGENDS: A scene from "Maimeda Matsyendra", a prelude to the "Maimeda Jogilu" written by Navneeth Shetty Kadri which was staged recently. Maimeda Jogilu will be staged on Saturday at Town Hall in Mangalore.

MANGALORE: Theatre groups in the city now firmly believe that only plays based on historical and mythological themes can revive the theatre in the district. `Kadireya Kalavidaru' (Kadri in Mangalore is known for theatre artists) the first of the revival efforts will be staged on Saturday at the Town Hall.

Senior folk artiste and dramatist Kadri Navneeth Shetty felt that the theatre in this part of the district, particularly the vernacular type, thrived under the patronage of temples and shrines. Artistes could practise plays on the premises of temples.

As the themes were based on legends and mythology, temple managements raised no objection.

Shift to social themes

But sometime during the 1990s, the theatre groups switched to social themes and progressively the theatre groups lost the patronage of temples and their managements as the themes sometimes embarrassed the people visiting temples. Soon the groups had to find alternative venues, said Mr. Shetty.

As a result, the number of active theatre groups came down and many of them became defunct.

Mr. Shetty says there are temples that are ready to give patronage to those groups that stage plays on "pouranika" (mythological) and historical themes and also those based on legends.

Niranjana Salian, a senior artiste, who has now gathered over 40 theatre artistes from all over the district mainly from Mangalore, will launch the revival theatre experiment titled `Maimeda Jogilu' under the `Kadireya Kalavidaru' banner.

The subject revolves around the formation of Mangaladevi and Kadri Manjunathehswara temples and the legends associated with them. Mr. Salian who is also the director of the play said it had special effects along with the sound effects.

The "Maimeda Jogilu" has over 55 roles played by 40 actors. Well-known artistes such as Rohidas Kadri (of Bangar Patler fame) Kishore Shetty, Sundar Hegde (who plays Shiva) Sarojini Shetty, Vasanthi Poojary, Naveen Padil (of Lakumi fame) and V.G. Pal Vidyadhar Shetty and Gokul Kadri feature in the play.

The play will have no entry fee, Mr. Shetty said.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail