Karnataka - Mangalore   

A theatre history created at Town Hall

AFTER A LONG JOURNEY:Theatre personality Sadananda Suvarna who was felicitated in Mangalore on Thursday on his 80th birthday. Girish Kasavaravalli (behind Mr. Suvarna), chief guest, and Mr. Suvarna's troupe members are seen.

MANGALORE: Town Hall witnessed a history of sorts being created as the final day of a three-day back-to-back amateur theatre festival witnessed power-packed performance that drew many in the audience to tears.

The Court Trivali (trilogy) – directed by Sadananda Suvarna – was organised by actors of his troupe to mark the 80 {+t} {+h} birthday of their beloved director.

An unbelievably large crowd – Town Hall was almost full – witnessed emotional scenes in the final day's play Court Marshall being staged for the 50 {+t} {+h} time and also during the concluding ceremony attended by celebrated film director Girish Kasaravalli, whom Mr. Suvarna described as his guru although the film-maker was younger than him.

While Mr. Kasaravalli praised Mr. Suvarna for rejuvenating amateur theatre in the region after returning to his roots from Mumbai – where he had kept Kannada theatre alive – the actors felicitated Mr. Suvarna in an affectionate manner.

Mr. Kasaravalli said for a theatre director there could be no greater gift on a birthday than performing his plays as Mr. Suvarna added that supreme joy came to him from reaching the amateur theatre to masses and “not from money”.

What followed a simple ceremony seemed to have left the audience completely convinced about the ability of theatre to spread the message besides establishing that serious theatre continues to get the patronage needed.

Every scene leading to the inevitable death sentence to be given to Jawan Ramachandar who had gunned down a top officer and injured another, goes on to expose weaknesses of the Army through gripping cross examination of witnesses.

The officer in the seat of the judge, who is convinced that Ramachandar has been wronged, ensures a poetic justice when the jawan's tormentor commits suicide.

The play ends with a clinking of the glasses by Ramachandar and the judge in a strange bonhomie that serves to emphasise one's faith in humanity and law. But not before Ramachandar's lawyer has convinced the audience that ordinary people have to trek miles in search of justice while the powerful get things their way even when law is not on their side.

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