The curtain goes up on the six-day Bharat Murali Theatre Festival on March 30

Theatre festival in THiruvananthapuram Kerala

Nine plays will be staged over six days as part of the Bharat Murali Theatre Festival organised by the University of Kerala. Organised in memory of actor-author Murali who was a student and employee of the University, the festival features plays selected from across the State. The critically-acclaimed plays showcase diverse themes of socio-political and cultural relevance.

From March 30 to April 4, the plays will be staged at the University Senate Hall and its premises. One of the venues is the open space in front of the Senate Hall.

Santhosh Venjaramoodu, a.k.a. Santhosh G Nair, convener of the festival, says the festival will begin with the play Itihasam on March 30, at 5.15pm. “Staged by Thiruvananthapuram-based Souparnika, the play — which has been staged over 500 times — focusses on the trials and tribulations of William Shakespeare. It has been directed by Ashok Shashi,” adds Santhosh.

On March 31, Arctic, a play from Idam, Sasthamcotta, will be centre stage. The play which highlights the plight of farmers and peasants was one of the plays selected for the International Theatre Festival of Kerala.

Soorya Theatre Group’s 45-minute play, Premalekhanam will be staged on the outdoor premises of Senate Hall at 5pm on April 1. Directed by Soorya Krishnamoorthy, the play is based on Vaikom Muhammad Basheer’s eponymous short story. Theatre activist Sajitha Madathil’s talk on ‘ Malayali Sthree: Pothuedangalum, Aaavishkaarangalum’ (Malayali woman: public spaces and expressions) at 6pm will be followed by Little Earth School of Theatre’s The Villainmaar at 6.45pm. Directed by Arunlal, the play is a collage of several small plays.

Little Earth School of Theatre’s Marthandante Swapnangal, also directed by Arunlal, will be the centre of attraction at the outdoor venue at 5pm on April 2. The talk on ‘Circus Theatre’ by Abhilash Pillai, director of the School of Drama, Calicut University, is at 6pm. Kanal Samskarika Vedi’s Soviet Station Kadavu, directed by Hazim Amaravila, will be staged at 6.45pm.

Students of the department of Malayalam at the University of Kerala stage Simharavam Ghoraravam at 5pm on April 3. Explains Santhosh: “It is a theatrical adaptation of an excerpt from CV Raman Pillai’s magnum opus Marthanda Varma. The focus is on Subhadra, a character in the novel. It has been directed by Arjun Gopal.” Aliyar, the patron of Natyagriham, speaks on ‘Muraliyum Natyagrihavum’ (Murali and Natyagriham) at 6pm. Thoma Karia Karia Thoma, a play directed by Amalraj and Jose P Raphael, follows at 6.45pm.