Redefining a classic
G.S. PAUL
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The Kalidasa festival organised by Natanakairali turned out to be a unique venture for the participants and the audience alike.
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BRIDGING THE GAP: A scene from `Shakuntalam,' which was staged by Natanakairali. Photo: K.K. Najeeb
Even as it still remains a mystery as to why Chakiyars, architects of the Sanskrit theatre of Koodiyattom, had given a wide berth to Kalidasa, Natanakairali, Irinjalakuda, made history by organising a festival that showcased `Shakuntalam' and `Vikramorvaseeyam' in Koodiyattom recently.
`Shakuntalam' has been the magnum opus of Natanakairali ever since its production in 2002.
What made it praiseworthy was that unlike some sporadic attempts before, it covered the whole text consisting of the seven acts.
This was completed in 11 hours spread over four days. Over the past three years, its popularity soared as the play was invited for exhibition in all the major festivals in the country, apart from numerous international festivals, the last being at Morishita Studio, Tokyo in August 2005.
Ingenious plot development
What makes `Shakuntalam' in a class of its own is its ingenious attaprakaram that lays emphasis on the development of the plot. This is in sharp contrast to the excessive elaboration by the Chakiyar, thereby sidetracking from the main story, in the conventional plays.
Still it is commendable that the play has not compromised on the traditional format and has even recreated some of the characters lost to the Koodiyattom stage in the recent past.
Introduction of the `Naandee sutradhara' noted for his invocatory role, `Stapana sutradhara,' a highly professional actor with the status of a director and a `Nati'(actress) in the prologue, is ample proof of Venue's commitment to stick to tradition. Perhaps, `Shakuntalam' is the only play that has employed the esoteric technique of `Moodi chollal' in recent times. This serves to reduce the number of characters on the stage.
All the peculiarities apart, `Shakuntalam' was the only play that one could watch from `Naandee' to `Bharatavakyam' among the Koodiyattom presentations nowadays.
`Vikramorvaseeyam'
With only three characters - sutradhara, Purooravas and Urvasi in the three-hour performance, the technique of pakarnattam was explored to the hilt in `Vikramorvaseeyam.'
It was a visual treat with the delineation of feats like `Kama saram,' `Panchangam', `panthattam' and so on.
International attention
`Kalidasa Natyotsav' turned out to be an international event, as it attracted quite a few thespians including Ma Ke of the centuries-old Beijing Opera, Anna Thelin, producer of the World Theatre Project and Maya Tangeberg, famous Finnish director.
Enthralled by his close encounter with the ingenious techniques of the age-old Indian theatre, the septuagenarian Ma Ke decided to become a disciple of G. Venu, director of the plays.
Sukumar Azhikode, Swami Vinayachaitanaya, Maya Tangeberg, K.G. Poulose, M.N. Vijayan, Ma Ke and Nirmala Panicker presented papers that covered multifaceted studies on Kalidasa and his works in the symposium held each day.
Actors Suraj Nambiar, Kapila, Ammannur Rajanish Chakiyar and Pothiyil Ranjith Chakiyar introduced the various characters to the audience.
Apart from the senior artiste Ammannur Kuttan Chakiyar (vidus haka), Margi Narayanan, Aparna Nangiar and Bhagirathi also donned different roles.
Percussion support was provided by Kalamandalam Rajiv, Kalamandalam Hariharan, Kalamandalam Narayanan Nambiar, Kalamandalam Ravi Kumar, Kalanilayam Unnikrishnan and P. Nandakumar.
Illumination provided by subdued light shed by traditional lamps added grace to the characters on stage.
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