Kerala   

Good performing spaces needed

KOCHI: For an emerging metro, the city seems to be conspicuously missing a quality performing space. Artistes say in one voice that the city is not supporting finer sensibilities and is fast losing itself in the race for materialistic goals.

The city had hosted great talents in the past. And memories are all that remains. For, the performing spaces have fallen behind with little effort to upgrade, with some exceptions like the Durbar Hall gallery. Quite naturally, art performances have virtually stopped in the city.

Art lovers in the city are now forced to content with odd shows, presented at venues with poor acoustics, creaking ceiling fans and improper lighting.

“It should be said that we lack quality performing spaces. Actually, performing spaces are being redesigned in metros, like the Shanmughananda Hall in Mumbai and the Madras Music Academy,” said Sreevalsan G. Menon, leading Carnatic singer.

Those like Sreevalsan are not pinning much hope on redesigning the performing spaces in the city professionally. Solution is building new ones. “Maybe corporates could take an initiative to build new spaces like the Godrej Theatre in Mumbai,” he said.

But some differ. “The Corporation or the State government can construct a space like that and can entrust professionals with its running. Like Ranga Shankara in Bangalore.

The Karnataka government spent almost Rs.50 lakh on it, besides giving the space for it,” said Chandradasan, theatre person and director of Lokadharmi.

In fact, he was part of the initial discussions organised by the Kochi Corporation to construct a quality performing space. “The effort began long back, when P.J. Antony (actor) died. Then Corporation officials had identified nearly 4 acres of land at Pachalam. The concept is to construct a big theatre complex, which will have an exhaustive library, space for rehearsals, indoor and outdoor performing spaces and accommodation facilities of artistes,” said C.K. Manisankar, Deputy Mayor.

The file, it seems, is caught in red tape.

Only one of the buildings has come up in that plot so far. The problem is not just with the infrastructure lacunae. It is in the changing mindset.

“During our period, art was part of life. People used to come for shows and listen to artists. Some of whom I invited for an interaction with Akkitham Narayanan recently told they would look up his website,” said T. Kaladharan, senior artist.

Poet Kamala Das once observed that “love is not in the veins of this city”. Listening to these artistes was like confirming that statement, under a new perspective.

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