Two Thuppettan plays to be staged in Kochi

The monthly theatre festival will be organised by the Bank Employees Arts Movement (Beame) and Ernakulam Karayogam

Two of eminent Malayalam theatre personality Thuppettan’s works will be staged at the monthly theatre festival organised by the Bank Employees Arts Movement (Beame) and Ernakulam Karayogam in the city on Thursday.

Nooru Shathamanam Zindabad and Marthandante Swapnangal, written by Thuppettan in the 1970s (during the Emergency), have been adapted to 45-minute plays by Malappuram-based Little Earth Theatre. 

M. Subramanian Namboodiri, who was better known by his pseudonym Thuppettan, was the recipient of the Kerala Sahitya Akademi award in 2003 for Vannanthey Kaanam, a collection of ten humorous plays. It is the satirical nature of Thuppettan’s language that appealed to Arun Lal, the director of the plays. “The themes of both plays are relevant to this day and adapting them for the stage was an enjoyable process. The plays entertain and make people think at the same time,” says Arun Lal. The plays will be performed by six actors with minimal props. 

While ‘Marthandante…’ dwells on a young man’s tussle with his dreams and reality, ‘Nooru Shathamanam…’ is based on the irrationality of belief. “Marthandan has just completed his education and is dreaming of landing a job, but the reality is quite different. Unable to get a grip on himself, Marthandan oscillates between his dream state and reality. This sense of disillusionment is true to our times as well,” he adds.  

The group has staged the two plays at other venues as well. “However, each time it is different. The space and the audience influence a performance a great deal. The play evolves with each performance,” Arun Lal adds. The play has been adapted in such a way that it is suitable for any kind of space – be it a stage, or an open area. The actors improvise according to the space, Arun says. 

Little Earth Theatre, an amateur theatre collective formed by a group of aficionados, has been actively performing for the past 18 years. It is currently performing eight plays at different venues in the State. 

The plays will be staged on March 24 at TDM Hall at 6.30 p.m.