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A theatrical start
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Bangalore can look forward to yet another exclusive theatre space in Jagruti and it's the brainchild of two veterans
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PHOTO: MURALI KUMAR K.
SELF SUFFICIENT Jagruti is situated on Jagadish's and Arundhati's three-acre farm in Whitefield, close to ITPL
So you love theatre, but find it unfair that most professional theatre is concentrated in the south of the city, where it's almost impossible to get to in today's traffic? Well, in a few months, you won't have reason to complain anymore. Bangalore's theatre scene is set to receive a shot in the arm, with the opening of Jagruti, a state-of-the-art theatre space, early next year.
The brainchild of theatre couple Arundhati and Jagadish Raja, Jagruti is situated on the couple's three-acre farm in Whitefield, close to ITPL and will boast of a fully air-conditioned 200-seater auditorium backed ably by a cafe, a bookshop, green room and rehearsal space built to the same specifications as the main stage, residential quarters for visiting professionals and instructors, additional spaces for theatre workshops, and conferences and a whole lot more. You're probably thinking the arrival of another auditorium doesn't offer much cause for celebration. The difference, says Arundhati Raja, "is that this is not just another rental space. We have a definite artistic vision for Jagruti." In the case of most other spaces, theatre groups decide on a production, fix on certain dates and then book the space based on what's available. "So a venue might have a Kannada play today and an English play tomorrow, or a classic play today and a mystery play tomorrow. The space itself has no overall vision for their programming," she explains.
Larger design
With Jagruti, however, all activity will serve to fulfil a greater design. Thus, all programmes here will run for a full month, instead of the usual three or four shows. "And in that month, we will organise a range of fringe or platform activities in the various other spaces such as workshops, lecture demonstrations, readings and so on," says Arundhati. This concept of a unifying design will even extend to the cafe and bookshop, adds Jagadish. "So if a Greek play is running in the main auditorium, then the cafe will serve Greek food, and the bookshop will sell books on Greek art and culture, and even Greek tourism."
The rationale is that once the groundwork is done and the play is up and running, what draws additional crowds is the remainder of events centred on the main attraction. "People won't just come to see a play and go. Instead they can come in, have dinner or just a snack, meet other people and make a whole evening of it," says Arundhati, bringing to mind the kind of integration urban activity centres such as malls promise nowadays. But the ambitious plans don't stop there. In order for such meticulous programming to succeed, it has to be done well in advance. "With the first year being whatever it can be, the programme for the entire year will be decided in about six months or a year in advance. Which is how it works in theatres abroad," reveals Arundhati.
As exciting and structured as that sounds, the sceptic has to ask if all this is viable. The Rajas certainly believe it is. "If you plan six months earlier, then everything becomes easier. It's easier to market the play to sponsors. You can do a much better job at getting publicity. The booking of tickets can also start much earlier," points out Jagadish. Running each play or programme for a full month also brings similar advantages to the table, he adds. "In Bombay, productions run for 25, 30 or 40 shows in different spaces. If we do so in the same space, and plan it far enough ahead, we're giving people more choices."
Adds Arundhati: "Now because of the traffic, people complain that by the time they decide to go see a play it's gone. If it runs for a month, then the crux is on quality." Besides, she says, running the shows for a month will also result in a cascading effect. "There's a certain chemistry when you watch a play together; that's what live theatre is about. So people who like a play will come back to see it again with their friends."
There are advantages to the groups themselves with this vision, according to Jagadish. "Actors always say we rehearsed for so long and now it's over. There's that vision of doing it again, but it's such a hassle to book a hall, print tickets and so on all over again. Here Jagruti takes care of all that."
Nearing completion
Much of the groundwork to pull off such a grand plan has already been laid, the couple add. The huge concentration of human resource in the form of actors, technicians and a resident theatre company is being created through initiatives of the Artists Repertory Theatre such as ART Youth and Nataka. The organisation has also formed tie-ups with international resource groups such as the Trinity College of London and Samuel French, who will provide Jagruti with access to material and professionals who can work with Jagruti on a visiting basis. Moreover, the Jagruti Trust is also looking to start full-time theatre degrees, in association with a university.
All that remains is to watch if the crowd comes in. If the Rajas are to believed, that seems like the easiest part of the whole affair.
RAKESH MEHAR
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