No kids' play this
K.K. GOPALAKRISHNAN
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A three-day children's theatre camp was conducted in Thrissur to identify talented youngsters.
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This is my second theatre camp and it gave me a new perspective to view the whole concept of theatre... Viana
DISPLAY OF TALENT: Children staging a play as part of the theatre workshop.
For the first time, Kerala Sangeeta Nataka Akademi, in an attempt to identify and tap the potential of talented youngsters, conducted a three-day theatre camp for school students. The camp was conducted in association with the State Institute of Children's Literature, Thiruvananthapuram. The camp was held at the Regional Theatre and Natyagriham of the Akademi in Thrissur from October 21 to 23.
"In the past the Akademi has done a lot for theatre, and it's high time that we took up the stream of children's theatre seriously considering the fact that our theatre culture is passing through a stage where true theatre lacks audience and space. To change this, we need a new generation with firm roots and this camp is our maiden step in this endeavour," says Srimoolanagaram Mohan, secretary, Sangeeta Nataka Akademi.
Children from various schools in Kerala were identified through the District Educational Officers and the Vidyarangam Kala Sahitya Vedi of schools. Of the 75 applications received, 60 children were selected. The workshop had 52 participants; some of the children were outstanding, including those who had won prizes for acting in previous State schools' youth festivals. The Akademi's next step will be scheduling an advance workshop for about 25 select participants of this camp, according to the secretary.
Innovative format
Instead of assigning all 52 participants to a camp director, the camp was designed to give creative freedom and scope for improvisation. The participants were divided into four groups under the supervision of theatre activists Suresh Mecheri, Vijesh Kozhikode, Rajesh Navath and Shinimol Kannur, all alumni of the School of Drama.
Each hour saw the participants improvising a story line with their creative interpretations and this would be followed by a discussion. The transformation of a written script into an acting manual and its creative transmission in acting and directing were also discussed with relevant examples.
The inaugural day saw the staging of the play `Daridravasi,' by students of Perode MIMHS School of Nadapuram.
The play won the first prize at last year's State schools' youth festival. "This is my second theatre camp and it gave me a new perspective to view the whole concept of theatre from a variety of angles," says class 10 student Viana, heroine of the play. Viana won the prize for the best actress for the same role during last year's State schools' youth festival.
Aghil, also a class 10 student of the same school, who was adjudged the best actor last year for his role in the same play, emphasises that "the camp taught me the relevance of minute movements and voice modulation."
The camp concluded with the distribution of certificates to the participants.
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