World Theatre Day, first initiated in 1961 by the International Theatre Institute (ITI), is celebrated annually worldwide on 27 March by the international theatre community. Johnson Thomas delves into the history and significance of that proclamation while exploring how our very own doyens of Indian theatre view and celebrate the world of the stage at large...
It was first in Helsinki, and then in Vienna at the 9th World Congress of the ITI in June 1961 that President Arvi Kivimaa proposed on behalf of the Finnish Centre of the International Theatre Institute that a World Theatre Day be instituted. Ever since, various national and international theatre events are organized to mark this occasion. Unfortunately, this year given the WHO declared Corona Virus pandemic the celebrations are bound to be muted. ITI initiated the day with a message from Jean Cocteau, France in 1962. The goals being to promote the art form across the world, make people aware of the value of the art form, enable the dance and theatre communities to promote their work on a broad scale so that opinion leaders are aware of the value of these forms and support them and to promote the enjoyment of the art form for its own sake. Thereafter, it has been a tradition to nominate a figure of world stature to share his or her reflections on the theme of theatre and a culture of Peace. This year the honor falls on Shahid Nadeem (read message on the site) from Pakistan.
While Shahid Nadeem's message is indeed an illuminating, inspirational and powerful statement on the impact and influence of theatre on the lives of the people, we also have our own theatre thespians striving hard to make a telling impact on the globalised community in these times of strive. Let's explore how each of them is doing their bit to take this spiritual, intellectual and sensory engagement forward...
Akarsh Khurana, Producer, Playwright, Actor, Director, who has been hard at work on the stage for 20 years with involvement in over 65 productions, believes, "the importance of World Theatre Day has been increasing in India. It means, the importance and awareness of theatre itself is becoming more widespread. We have experienced a significant shift in the theatre scenario in the past decade itself - Aadyam, Thespo, Supper theatre, Tele/Cine plays, venue led festivals, play reading and writing events etc. have indeed contributed to this popularization and accessibility. World Theatre day sheds light on the days, months and years of perseverance by the theatre community, the infusion of young blood and the increase in relatable content that has resulted in growing appreciation for the art form. From the time lockdowns were announced, theatre organizations generously put content (plays, workshops, training modules, the works) online for free. I am damn sure some live streaming will happen on WTD as well. So audiences can partake. As for us theatre folk, we're celebrating every day. I'll probably read a new play. I know a good play can touch your life. And make you an addict. Theatre is one virus whose spreading I'll encourage."
Kamlesh Mota, Theatre Actor, Director, Producer, working in Hindi and Gujarati languages, opines, " Theatre is indeed less important than life... but what a poor life without theatre." Having been involved with Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, which has been on the vanguard of the theatre movement since 1951, Mota is genuinely distressed at having to cancel the celebration. But the energy and spirit that drives his theatre can never be curbed. According to him, the best way to celebrate the occasion (albeit in muted fashion) is to let the pen flow. He has Three writers, Dilip Raval, Hemant Jangli and Archana Chauhan, a young girl from Ahmedabad, Archana Chauhan, working on new ideas and creating new plays for his group. As for me, "I am working on new subjects myself and trying to figure out fresher techniques in order to keep my audience involved and entertained. My experience with different audience groups over the years has helped me build far more powerful theatre than yesterday."
Joy Sengupta, Actor, Director, says "World Theatre Day, is meant to remind the world of the significance of an art form, which probably is, as old as mankind. It harkens to man's penchant to communicate or tell stories....it is pre-historic and a mirror to our day to day existence. This form of performance art that has survived the onslaught of far more easily accessible hit-tech mediums, has over the ages helped us commune and reflect on life's miseries creatively." He goes on to add, " It is the most democratic of all Arts, because everybody and anybody can participate in the process of theatre - writing, directing, acting, lighting, sound, stage management, stage designing, set construction, costume designing, tailoring, make up, hair, mask making, puppetry, music composition, singing , instrumentation, dancing , voice diction speech teaching, pantomiming, Teaching and worshipping all elements , related to Art. It encourages community participation, is the most significant form of socio-political commentary and speaks directly to its audience while presenting conflicts in a form of dramatised debate. In times of lockdown, one can celebrate, digitally, through reading / performing on radio and internet and watching Cineplays (recorded performances), which help us to record and catalogue works related to Theatre."
Salim Arif, Producer, Writer, Actor, Designer, Director, believes, "Theatre remains the most vital performing art form because of ideas and responses it carries with its content. It is one of the oldest narrative form and existed even before any formal language took shape. Theatre does make a difference, because it can trigger thoughts and ideas - and not necessarily to reinforce the status quo of its times. A day dedicated to this interactive art form comes as a reminder of the social role and responsibility that this activity requires. Arts can be a catalyst for creating an atmosphere of positive change. To me, a celebration of life is celebration of theatre. In today's scenario of curfew and quarantine sitting at home and reading or writing on that day, working on a new script would be a small but significant contribution in itself."
Atul Satya Koushik, Playwright, Director says, "World Theatre Day is significant in that it reminds us of our commitments to the community at large. The universe of theatre may not be as large as that of any other medium of entertainment but in its own universe it does impact the lives of all those who interact with it. Putting up a play in itself is such a celebration that each time we do a show anywhere in India we are almost celebrating. World Theatre Day gives us one more chance to celebrate our passions. Perception of theatre in the minds of the audience does not depend on how one celebrates World Theatre Day, but on how one does real theatre for the rest of the year. Art is something which is practiced in isolation and exhibited in public. Both the elements are equally important for anything to be called an art. In times when the second part is not possible then first becomes all the more important automatically. This World Theatre Day let the art be practiced in isolation. For companies like ours who do regular shows all year round and travel a lot, we hardly get time to pause and re-do things, re-write scripts, re-design scenes. However forced it may be, this time has become specially valuable for that very purpose."
Chandan Roy Sanyal, Actor, Director comments, "Theatre contributes significantly to the development of an individual. In these times of crisis and great stress, World Theatre Day can contribute to the education and imprinting of behavioral changes necessary for the very survival of humankind. Theatre is magical, it can change lives and it would certainly beneficial if the education system incorporated Theatre as one of its many subjects of learning. Celebrating the auspicious day in these dark times, for me, would mean using my faculties and skills to satirize or bring out the latent humor in the situation and help people de-stress. Hopefully--and on a more enigmatic note--the light will come on soon!"
Manav Kaul, Actor, Playwright who specializes in experimental theatre, says "I started my theatre work in 1994 in Bhopal. Whenever I am writing or performing, to me that is theatre day. World Theatre Day basically makes us aware of the various forms and experiences of the performing arts. Theatre is an experience of a slice of life, it's a live art. It is something so unique that you won't get anywhere else. In India today, there are more and more smaller spaces opening up, people from all across the country flock to Mumbai and Delhi to dabble and experience the art form, more and more younger people are getting involved. Therefore, with the advent of new, smaller niche spaces, a younger, hungrier audience and writing and performances that break the mould, the art form is poised to go places. As far as celebrating goes, at this time of social distancing, I think people will take to online forms to express their appreciation of the art form."
Mahesh Dattani, Playwright, Director says, "Theatre is truly a mirror of humanity. It is the celebration of everything that makes us human - empathy, feelings, emotions, story-telling, listening and responding to one another's stories. World Theatre Day is even more significant this year as our humanity is being tested as never before. How we treat each other in this time will determine whether we move ahead on the evolutionary ladder or fall back to our baser instincts. Theatre offers us a beautiful and distilled way of looking at ourselves and our actions. In that sense theatre and everyday life are inextricably linked. As practitioners of the theatre we perceive ourselves as very much involved with the immediate structure of life be it the way we live, our concerns or our passions. This day gives us a moment to reflect and validate our efforts. Right now, given the pandemic crisis the world has been afflicted with we may not be able to celebrate it in the spaces we perform... but we can celebrate it from our hearts, in those space that are inhabited not by bodies but by good intentions, thoughts, and emotions."
(Johnson Thomas is an independent critic and columnist)
