BANGALORE: Theatre has the ability to inspire and create something meaningful. Aside from building bridges between cultures and communities, this art form is often in pursuit of the truth and harsh realities of life. “I think if we offer theatre as a forum for exchange and exploration, it can become a political and democratic institution. I strongly wish that theatre always remains a contemporary art form that is deeply rooted to our cultural heritage. At the same time, it should relate to the world in which we live and give us new exciting perspectives on this reality,” said Andrea Gronemeyer, director of Schnawwl Theatre for young audiences of the National Theater of Mannheim, Germany. Her latest project Boy With a Suitcase which marked a cultural collaboration with Ranga Shankara and Schnawwl Theatre was staged recently. In conversation with City Express, the director shares with us her views on the future of theatre.
Tell us about Boy with a Suitcase
It’s about a very serious topic — fugitive children who escaped from war. It sort of follows the tradition of legendary tales of adventure and travel. I think the play can also be understood on a more abstract layer as a story about losing home and finding a new home. This is something that many people face once in their lifetime. We wanted the audiences to share their emotions and take something home.
You have tried to create a seamless blend between two cultures through this play. Tell us about your journey with this particular play?
The first challenge was to find a play that would be interesting for both the audiences in Bangalore and Mannheim. We found out that many migrants come to Mannheim as well as Bangalore, with hopes of a better future. So, after long discussions and reading a lot of plays we decided to go ahead with Boy with a Suitcase because it is a universal story, that all of us understood and liked immediately. We wanted the cast to learn as much as possible about the other culture. We also improvised a lot to bring in different ideas and forms of expression. Soon, we met some young people in Bangalore and Mannheim who helped us express better, by watching rehearsals and giving their feedback. It was all about opening up to new perspectives on art and life, and really connecting with one another.
Theatre has always provided mankind with a voice to express emotions and opinions with freedom. Your thoughts on the same?
Theatre can be one considered as one of the last places without any advertising or manipulation. With my theatre, I always try to encourage younger audiences to develop a critical view on society and politics, believe in their own creativity and find a way to master life with integrity.
Antonin Artaud once said, “The theatre, which is in no thing, but makes use of everything — gestures, sounds, words, screams, light, darkness — rediscovers itself precisely at the point where the mind requires a language to express its manifestations. To break through language in order to touch life, is to create or recreate the theatre.” Your thoughts on the same?
The theories and methods of Artaud have been very important for the development of European theatre especially because he focused on the experiences of audiences and artists who share the moment of the performance physically. With this, he became a part of a movement of modern artists in the beginning of the twentieth century that understood theatre as an art form. I share his vision that in theatre we express ourselves through many more languages than words. I would like my audience to be highly emotional involved and not only think about the play but also share their intense experiences in the here and now of theatre.
Any upcoming projects we should look forward to?
In my next project, I will collaborate with an Egyptian theatre from Alexandria, which is very exciting for us. We want to support the movement of the Arabian Spring and reflect on our German democracy — its dangers and challenges in the mirror of the Egyptian movement. My dream is to bring together my Egyptian colleagues with my Indian ones; and another theatre group of Sao Paulo (Brazil) with my own German theatre to create a transatlantic theatre collaboration on a play about freedom and democracy.