Private initiative in theatre

On Stage

Slowly, but surely, the corporate world seems to be getting involved with theatre in the Capital. This is a great sign for the continuity of theatre "" a strange entity, the death of which is predicted at regular intervals.

But it has resilience and always bounces back "" like the Sensex! These days there is so much happening that I can no longer keep track of the names of various groups in Delhi, leave aside being up-to-date on their productions.

Anyway, I was talking about private initiative in theatre. I encountered two new efforts lately. One is the recently-formed First City Theatre Foundation, Delhi-based, and the other is the year-old Mahindra Excellence in Theatre Awards that operates at the national level. These are two completely different interventions but they add to the rich fabric of theatre in the country.

The absolutely new private effort is the formation of the First City Theatre Foundation, an organisation committed to providing good and regular theatre to audiences in Delhi, largely in English. It seems to target young audiences, if their first set of performances are anything to go by.

The entire production team being very young, their choices and work is one that is witty and playful while looking at serious issues. They do not seem to get overawed by any stereotypes or conventions, and that is their strength, because it allows for fresh perspectives to come into the work.

What is commendable is the fact that, in a span of four months, they have already staged two plays, done five readings and around five short-term theatre workshops with young, aspiring performers. And they aim to conduct a variety of regular workshops in schools and colleges, particularly during vacations.

To keep theatre alive, it is indeed necessary to attract and nurture young talent and audiences, which this new outfit seems to be doing well. The readings are a particularly good idea to build an interest in new texts and in theatre as a form.

It could also be a platform to encourage budding young playwrights. Here, I would like to suggest that it may help the group to start looking at Indian texts along with established Western texts, even if there are not enough good ones in English to begin with.

The second initiative, the Mahindra Awards, is an annual event. Around 10 productions from different regions were featured in this year's festival, shortlisted from 90 entries received. These 10 were nominated for various awards in around 13 categories, which were given away at an apparently glittering function held at a five-star hotel, much in the style of the Filmfare awards.

Great idea, but as I had said in this very column last year, it definitely requires better and wider publicity to attract better and more plays and a larger audience. I know for a fact that most of the well-known groups are not aware of the process of these awards: Whether the group has to write to the organisers to consider their play, or whether the plays are selected by a group of selectors, what are the criteria, what is the last date, and so forth.

In the absence of this information, it is difficult to expect the best entries. A commendable idea otherwise, it should definitely try to get better visibility and reach out to more theatre people from next year onwards to truly become a national-level awards event in theatre.

(kirtinsd@gmail.com)