After about two years, curtains go up again in Kozhikode

‘Shanthanormma’, a two-day short play festival, gets under way in city

For nearly two years, Kozhikode, known for its strong theatre roots, missed the stage due to the outbreak of COVID-19. But, with ‘Shanthanormma’, a two-day short play festival, kicking off at the Town Hall here on Friday, the stage is awake once again.

“With no sponsors and means to raise funds, the theatre fraternity pitched in to bear the expenses for each of the plays. They do not get much of remuneration either,” said singer Gulab Jan, who presided over the inaugural event. He said the groups were desperate to be back on the stage at any cost and end the era of uncertainty.

The festival is being organised in memory of late theatre personality A. Shanthakumar. “Shanthan [Shanthakumar] has become the reason for the theatre scene in Kozhikode rising up post-COVID and it gives me goosebumps,” said Suveeran, filmmaker and theatre personality, who opened the session. Speaking of the experiments going on in theatre worldwide over the last two decades, he said Malayalam theatre still remained unaware of them.