Thoughts on the International Theatre Festival of Kerala and its inclusive framework Premium

Experience the inclusive and nurturing character of the International Theatre Festival of Kerala, fostering engaged audiences and democratic spaces.

I recently returned after attending the 15th edition of the International Theatre Festival of Kerala (ITFOK) in Thrissur. More than the plays on show, several of which were remarkable, such as Amal (Iraq) and Dear Children, Sincerely (Sri Lanka), I came back most deeply moved by the inclusive and nurturing character of the festival, which has resulted in the creation of an engaged audience and an egalitarian and democratic social space. I say this after attending hordes of public arts festivals at several locations across the country but my experience in Kerala was unique.

The festival spread over a week featured plays from the country and abroad through a selection process that demonstrates its focus on diversity and curating contemporary practices. This edition of ITFOK, themed around cultures of resistance, presented plays that dealt with same-sex desire (Be-Loved by Tamasha Theatre, Mumbai), development vs. community (Aboriginal Cry by Akhoka Theatre, Manipur), and female sexuality (Project Darling by Dramanon, Bengaluru).

Opinions differed about the quality of plays performed at the festival and I found these debates enriching. There was no dearth of conversation and the credit for creating such an active public space goes entirely to the audience which came in large numbers from all over Kerala, patiently waited in long queues, and saw every show, sometimes second and third iterations of the same performance. All this in the sweltering heat, and they returned the following day to listen to the artist interaction sessions.

The audience members didn’t shy away from asking tough questions, often registering their polite disagreement with the speaker or creator of the play. They hung around long after the performances were over, discussing what they had seen and forming impromptu groups inviting strangers like yours truly to join the discussion. Language barriers were breached and ideas exchanged freely. Isn’t that what an arts festival aims for? Most of the viewers I encountered were not necessarily from a theatre or arts background. Yet, they were full of curiosity and felt encouraged to participate in this non-hierarchical space that the festival had successfully created.

You may ask, but what is special about all of this? Spaces that actively celebrate diversity are becoming rare and constantly coming under threat from majoritarian forces. Therefore, the few that remain ought to be celebrated and perhaps turned into templates for spirited public engagement and discourse on the arts which is constantly shrinking. There is no dearth of cultural offerings in metropolitan centres across the country but a festival space like ITFOK does not cater to the interests of a certain section of society alone. It is not exclusively for the cultural elite.

ITFOK welcomes and is available to all and sundry. The tickets are unbelievably cheap. That the festival is supported by the state government definitely helps to bring down overall costs, giving people from across the social strata an opportunity to watch the plays and interact with them. This congregation is unique and the resultant conversations restore faith in plurality.

For instance, after the staging of a play from Egypt which most of us disliked for various reasons, including a poor script, an audience member stood up, loudly voiced his criticism in Malayalam, and walked out. Here was a regular viewer, a part of the masses, offering his spontaneous resistance to a work of art he failed to agree with. He wasn’t shunned or shamed. Spaces where we can freely agree to disagree and voice our dissent without retribution are necessary.