For the love of theatre
K. K. GOPALAKRISHNAN
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E.T. Varghese has been selected for the senior fellowship of the Union Department of Culture for his contributions to theatre.
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PLAYING HIS PART: E.T. Varghese.
For many art aficionados of Kerala, the name E.T. Varghese is synonymous with theatre. It was a childhood passion that he honed by watching the annual plays of the local arts club and later acting in it. His interest landed him at a theatre camp conducted by Kerala Sangeeta Nataka Akademi in 1971.
"The camp was an eye opener and really inspiring," says Varghese who has been selected for the senior fellowship of the Government of India's Department of Culture in recognition of his contribution to theatre in Kerala.
Turning point
But it was the National School of Drama's (NSD) national camp at Madurai in 1977 that was a turning point in his life.
"By the time the camp was over I understood that theatre is an ocean about which I knew nothing ," says Varghese.
Armed with a vision and concept on theatre, he and a few like-minded artistes formed `Nandi Theatre.' They performed street plays. The group, however, met a premature end. In 1980, with the support of the late theatre doyen G. Sankara Pillai, Varghese founded `Rangachetana.'
Camps and festivals
The activities of `Rangachetana' include regular theatre presentations and workshops, annual theatre festivals, annual theatre camp for children and Sunday theatre classes. It has also conducted plays in various parts in India.
It represented India in the Asian theatre festival of 2002 held in South Korea.
"Good theatre can play a role in the character formation of children. I have experienced this during our annual theatre camp for children. So I plan to do something for children in juvenile homes," says Varghese.
Varghese has won the `Natyabhooshan' award from the Theatre Olympiad-2004 at Cuttack (Orissa) and the `Soorya' award of 1990 for the promotion of theatre in India.
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