SUPPORTED BY SEIMENPUU FOUNDATION, FINLAND

INTRODUCTION

Orissa is a place of ‘arts’ and particularly the performing art has a long tradition in the history of Theatre and Dance. Now-a-days one of the classical dance named Odissi is very much famous in the world. There is the only possible stage for ancient theatre according to the classical theatre reference named Natya Sastra is visible in the caves of Khandagiri and Udyagiri built in 3rd century BC. The values of cultural expressions are still visible in the villages. There are many traditional theatre forms still exists having strong theoretical background.

On the other hand, the state, which was that rich to have culture as a prior identity in the history, now it is known for its poverty. Having all cultural heritages once created by illiterate artists are now being used for showing up own past glory. So Natya Chetana has tried to connect the possibility of creating opinion about the present social situation and the indigenous cultural expression. Intimate Theatre is an outcome of the research in this regard.

INTIMATE THEATRE STYLE

The Intimate Theatre style is developed to address the middle class audiences, who live in the cities or towns and usually become the instrument of the exploitation of our society. Their life style is to give only evening time for the entertainment or cultural activities. So Intimate Theatre is a 2 hours show of theatre played in the evening. The process of making the theatre is to collect true events or to adopt appropriate stories from the literature, which have values to rethink about the socio-economical and political movement responsible for the future of mankind. Then to have a theatre workshop among the social activists or theatre workers who have a wish to contribute the social changing process through theatre action. A participatory theatre making style involves the teamwork and the traditional theatre, dance or singing forms when building up a theatre. It is practiced well avoiding all western impact, which have been influenced by the British rule. Natya Chetana has a big challenge to face the Indian Modern Theatre movement, which carries the symbols of western drama. So in the Intimate Theatre style at least few elements are strongly adopted to make it Indian and pro people.

1. The drama has to be based on a simple but strong story elements to play with emotions (the Rasa as mentioned in Natya Sastra).
2. The play has to be played under flat lights, without depending on spotlights and game of color lighting.
3. The scene should be changed according to the entry and exist of the characters and not by the light cuts.
4. The play should not imitate anything to make it closer to reality in the stage craft rather should take inspirations from folk theatre forms which has been in practice for long long years basing on the imagination of the audiences using symbolic presentations. So a set design is either not necessary to establish a place of the scene or is made symbolically in such a way that the use of the set will be felt as necessary and will project the place of the event. And the stagecraft is built within available resources made in own soil.
5. The music is always being played by instruments, which is made here and traditionally known. No instruments or players are being used which depends electricity or batteries.
6. The acting area in western stage have exit path at the both side where there are wings and the top is guarded with borders. But according to the Natya Sastra Natya Chetana adopts an acting area where the back stage is just in the opposite side of the audiences and there are two paths to enter. Both the side ways like the western stage is completely blocked.
7. The players of the theatre are not only to act through face rather to become singers, dancers and sometimes music players, which is an Indian character. So Natya Chetana theatre style incorporates these elements in it.

THEATRE WORKSHOP AT SUNABEDA

Natya Chetana declared a theatre workshop and the series of shows through news paper, letters to theatre groups and through regional radio. The workshop was being conducted in Sunabeda, Koraput district. The selection was made for this place for three reasons mainly. 1) The area was the proud of the state for its environment and place of the Royal Bengal Tiger. But it is now the target of many industries and the natural devastation is clearly visible. 2) The area is in a higher altitude to the sea level for which the temperature is much in lower status during this summer season. And in this period the coastal belt would face a warm weather up to 45-48 degree C. 3) The district is known for its poverty and is a tribal dominated region where there are many languages and cultural expressions.

THE ENVIRONMENT OF THE WORKSHOP

Sunabeda is a small town famous for its mig29’s, 16kms. away form the district head quarter, surrounded by small hills and mountain. In the town lies a tribal welfare and development school, which was chosen for the workshop on theatre learning and provided by the generosity of District collector. The beauty of the spot was marvelous and touching with its groove of mango trees, situated in between half broken deserted structure of concrete. While people were suffering 45 degree temperature, here it was below 30 degree. So the climate was so cool in comparison to other parts of the Orissa. In 20th April , we arrived in the place and immediately set our hands to make the place alive habitable.

A big hall there, was partioned into two by a piece of long cloth, a part was used for training and the other part was served as lodging for the trainees. The room adjacent, was arranged for trainers to stay and the damaged room nearby was made to be the kitchen and dining place. All the walls were painted with a kind of red mud called ‘Geru mati’ and nicely depicted with ‘Chita’ as an art of Oriya house hold. Posters related to the training were hanged all over the wall representing different themes. Though the place is identified as a naxalities area we took the help of local police service. The fears of falling prey to malaria, all the campers were forced to take preventive precautions against the disease. The healthy and cheerful atmosphere of the spot provided the much needed input to all the participants.

SCHEDULE OF SUNABEDA THEATRE WORKSHOP AND STEPS FOLLOWED UP TO PERFORMANCES

25th April to 19th May 2005

Step 1 : Basic Orientation

• What is Theatre,
• Purpose of Theatre,
• Role of Theatre
• Contemporary Theatre of Orissa and India;
• Natya Chetana style of Intimate and cycle Theatre
• Making a Theatre
• Observation, the foundation - Development of Observation
• Concentration

STEP 2 : GROUP

• Group dynamics
• Feedback for learning; Group feeling building exercise
• Trust Building

STEP 3: SCRIPT
building research base

• Planning field placement
• Field visit
• Reporting from field through presentation
• Story as a Backbone,
• Dramatic Conflict
• Choice of subject
• Idea about –script
• Reading plays from library
• PRESENTING THE SCRIPT – DHUAN
• Script analysis

STEP-4 : ACTING

• Elements of acting

• 4 types of classical acting– Begin with Bachik Abhinaya

• Reading Script Dhuan: Character analysis

• Text and sub text

• Script Dhuan as Radio Play before some critics

• Reflection on criticism and needed modification

• Pitch and volume, projection

• Voice practice

• Use pauses, silence

• Use sound effects

• Role of Yoga

• Yoga Practice

• Reading on standing

• Imitation

• Imagination

• Improvisation – 5W

• Tempo and Rhythm

STEP 5 : CHARACTER DISTRIBUTION

• Character a responsiblity

• Co-operation with co-actors

• Getting the script by heart

STEP 6 : COMPOSITION

• Space Awareness; Balance in Space

• Creative use of Body

• Composing the sequences

• Fixing up the Que of each movement

• Musical Movement • Body Movement Practice

• Rehearsal Process • Run Through Rehearsal Process

STEP 7 : COSTUME AND PROPERTIES

• Composition with rough costume

• Composition with properties

• Principles of designing costume/props

STEP 8 : PATCH WORK

• Scene wise correction

• Individual Clarification

STEP 9 : RUN THROUGH

• Non stop play

• Technical Run Through

STEP 10 : BACKGROUND EFFECTS

• Use of Background Music

• Use of sound effect

STEP 11 : CRITIC SHOW

• Feedback on the play

• Using the comments

STEP 12 : MANAGEMENT

• Production Management and duty distribution

• Production Management check and preparation

• Production procedure

STEP 13 : DOCUMENTATION

• Photo Session

• Production Script made

• Video documentation

• Press clip collection

• Exhibition for public

STEP 14 : TOUR PLAN

Disciplinary majors

• Packing the performance utensil

STEP 15 : THE TOUR

• Arrival till departure

• Meeting theatre friends

• Performance

• Rest and Evaluation of the previous performance

“DHUAN” – THE JUSTIFICATION OF THE NAME

Some people build castles out of nothing or make a mountain out of a mole and exaggerates facts of which they have either no knowledge or very little of that and thereby deceived people. In Oriya the word “Dhuana” meaning, “smoke” is used most often as an attribute to such big mouth such as “Hei Do not create smoke (over state), speak the truth only”, some say “he could smoke easily to so many people.”Some other say’” in the era of this Kaliyug the more you can smoke (deceive) people, the more success will be yours.

Our leaders proudly make promises of transforming village into town and invite Industrialists to set their industries by exploiting our natural resources, But rightfully these land & forest to the poor, giving them their lively-hood. Now the question ponders into one’s mind as to whether the no. of people below the poverty line as decreased in such areas. If yes, then these industrialists cannot be called as businessmen rather hailed as saviour of the poor, if not then what shall we call them?

The central theme of the play revolves round the psyche of a group of people who pretentiously show the dream of developing the state and the nation by making the poor country men fool. That is how the play is so, rightly being titled “ as Dhuana”.

IMPACT OF THE SHOW

Sunabeda

• Surprise to get less audiences than ‘Bhoota’

• People still live with the memory of ‘Bhoota’

• Another type of intimate theatre which does not have a set.

• The beauty of Natya Chetana’s style is that – just like reading a novel by turning pages. The time to turn a page is a time to jump from one scene to another.

Damanjodi

• The play was beyond expectation. The word ‘Excellent’ is also insufficient – According to the organizer and some prominent guests.

• Natya chetana is the trigger to fire ‘THEATRE’ among us.

• A clear demand that – Natya Chetana should account us to keep in the list of it’s every future theatre production.

• A good play, a memorable milestone.

Laxmipur

• Response to scene expressed the miss use of money for (men’s) entertainment.

• Local organizer seek police security

• Local organizer got phone from Intelligence Beuro.

• There was someone who was helping the company exploitation, got comments from audiences time to time.

• The truth has been discovers through field visit.

• Police made an inquiry about the play.

• People could relate HINDAL Company with the play.

• According to the local organizer there were more company workers as audiences.

Kalahandi

• Theatre workers were observing the play mostly.

• The play could be ended with a slogan of ‘UNITY’ not with the song – Ekla Chalore.

• The artistic achievement was nice, but the subject is one side. The industry also helps the country.

• The activist and rule of politician is clearly linked with Mr. Balabhadra Majhi.

• The play highlighted the cultural degradation, which is very important.

• Natya Chetana should perform inside Ravindra Mandap, it should not boycott which is an insult to the stage.

Pattamundei

• One artist said to avoid a Bengoli song, rather prefer and oriya poem at the end as there.

• The play catch hold the audiences beginning to end. No drop out

• The audiences within the market area could stand for whole play with silence. it is great!

Cuttack

• Audiences of ‘Reboti’ told, it is always great to see Natya Chetana’s play. He asked what and when will be next play

• Dr. Subodh Pattnaik said about the last part is deviating from the idea of ‘SMOKE’

• According to Rabi Satapathy the comparisons with Mahabhart is disturbing

• There were children, women and guests around the plays who did not drop out.

• Bapu Lenka shared his great appreciation for the play, wanted the future plab. It was his beyond expectation.