BHUBANESWAR: The capital witnessed a joint walk by all members of Odisha Natya Sangha from Buddha Mandir to Rabindra Mandap, followed by a panel discussion on various problems of theater and enactment of two plays on the occasion of World Theater Day here Wednesday.
The day was initiated in 1961 by the International Theatre Institute at Finland’s capital Helsinki. Natya Chetana, the leading theatre organisation has been observing World Theatre Day every year. Since March 5, 2019, a special theatre workshop was being conducted by National School of Drama in collaboration with Natya Chetana at Natyagram (Theatre Village).
20 learners from 3 states (Odisha, Chhatishgarh and Jharkhand) are in a camp where Sashadhar Acharya, well known acting-movement teacher and choreographer of theatre, who is a regular visiting faculty of many acting training institute including NSD is the camp and theatre Director.
A presentation of theatre pieces of NUA by Natya Chetana and also by learners of the new play – Tyagi was conducted on the occasion. Subodh Patnaik read out the Odia version of World Theatre Message after translating from English. The world message has highlighted features about the importance of audiences and to do theatre as a selfless duty, without expecting any name or fame. This time the world message is given by Carlos Celdran, born in 1963, from Cuba, who is a great theatre director and playwright and leads his own organisation named Argus Teatron in Havana.
Theatre personalities of Khurda Town, media representatives, guests from Luxembourg were present extending their solidarity. Subodh Patnaik said, “It is the time now to expand theatres and to cater to audiences beyond intellectual ones. We must do well performing art on stage which can be acceptable by all mass not only a class of audiences.
One of the most important aspects of the day is the circulation of the World Theater Day Message through which at the invitation of ITI, a figure of world stature shares his or her reflections on the theme of Theater and a Culture of Peace. The first World Theater Day Message was written by Jean Cocteau in 1962.
Orissa Post interacted with a few eminent theatre personalities who stated the sorry state of affairs in theaters of the state.
Dhirendra Mallick of Satabdira Kalakar said, “The government should initiate children theatre and workshops to attract children as well as their parents. Unfortunately, Govt has no cultural calendar for theatre for which our theatres are suffering. Satabdira Kalakar conducted a children’s theatre fest for twelve years from 1986 to 1997 where children from slums were selected and trained to act. However, states like Manipur, Assam, Maharashtra has children’s theatre. The Bubblegum dream of Odisha theatre is going to burst if these projects are not supported by Govt.”
The most common and serious issue faced by theaters of the state is financial crunch. Although the government has allotted stages like Rabindra Mandap and Bhanja Kala Mandap on 50 % discount, they have denied Odisha Natya Sangha the right to sell tickets. Due to no sale of tickets there is financial crunch and many theatre groups cannot pay their artistes. The auditoriums in the state need a facelift.
Some of the main auditoriums in the state are Rabindra Mandap, Bhanja Kala Mandap, Rourkela Civic Center, Puri Arnapurna theatre, Berhampur Sanskruti Bhawan, Baripada Town Hall, Paradip Port’s Nehru Kala Kendra, Jajpur Town’s Sansruti Bhawan. Unfortunately, there are no theatres in places like Bolangir, Koraput, Kalahandi, Kandhmala, Mayurbhanja, Bhadrak and Balasore. The government grants an aid of Rs 80,000 – 1 lakh for theatre development every year. However, the amount is not enough for any group to survive a year.
