A trip down nostalgia lane
KAUSALYA SANTHANAM
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Tamil vintage plays staged recently evoked great response.
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Photo: M. Karunakaran.
SLICE OF LIFE: From `Thani Kudithanam.'
Both the Tamil drama festivals being held in the city — one by the Sri Parthasarathy Swami Sabha and the other by United Visuals - are receiving an overwhelming response from the audience.
A revival of a couple of Marina's plays by the Sri Parthasarathy Sabha at the Mylapore Fine Arts club showed how these well structured works retain their charm for the viewer. The fact that they began on time and went off without a hitch showed the professionalism of Marina who is over 80.
While witnessing Rasika Ranga's "Thani Kudithanam" (written and directed by the veteran), the audience floated in waves of nostalgia as it captured a world gone by - of terylene shirts and kalchattis.
"Thani Kudithanam" is about a young man who wishes to break away from a joint family and set up home with his docile and obedient bride.
Human nature
The dialogue and situations made the work absorbing and showed the playwright as a keen observer of human nature and situations. The actors, mostly veterans, displayed a depth of understanding of their roles. Vatsala Rajagopalan as the elderly mother-in-law revealed tremendous grit performing with her injured leg while Malathi Sampath was the personification of the nit-picking, attention demanding sister-in-law (nathanaar). The portions revolving around her and her hen-pecked husband could have been trimmed to make this version crisper. The husband (Vittal Padmanabhan) turns from a lamb into a lion with astonishing suddenness.
Ramana Ravindranath as the raring-to-get-away son was good while Tulsi as his young wife was just adequate. The depiction of baldness of the characters was most awkwardly achieved. The play could do with some editing.
"Washingtonil Thirumanan," Saavi's vintage play, presented by Kovai Paddhu's Goodwill Stage, also delighted the audience, most of whom are familiar with the story.
When the American millionaire Rockefeller's wife hears in detail about a Tamil Brahmin wedding, she is eager to witness one. Her indulgent husband has one arranged - in Washington, sparing no expense to have the bridal party and the priests transported to the capital of the U.S.
The actors , especially Srinivasamurthy (the grandmother), Anbi Nagarajan and Ramaswamy( the priests) and Surya ( Mrs. Rockefeller),played their roles well. But the make up of some charcters, "Mrs. Rockefeller" particularly, was dreadful.
There was a feel good factor about the play which was directed by Kovai Padmanabhan. To the critical viewer, however, it appeared dated. Great care and expense had been lavished on the production though to stage an Iyer wedding in Chennai is like bringing coal to Newcastle. The Sastrigal portions could have been trimmed.
The two plays were a wedge of the past in the present. Unfortunately the present too in Tamil amateur drama lives in the past, though most are not as well scripted or well directed as these plays which are of archival value and also provide laid back viewing.
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