KOCHI: The Covid-19 outbreak heralded significant changes across various fields, the most noteworthy of them in the field of performative arts in how plays are performed and consumed. With little option left, theatre artists seem to have embraced the virtual space.
However, notwithstanding the financial strain artists have undergone over the last few months, a cultural crisis brought in by the changing times seem to be plaguing most performers these days. Though nothing can equal the experience of a live stage performance in a packed auditorium, artists have found it imperative to adapt to the situation.
With the aim of helping woman theatre artists who have been facing cultural turmoil, Nireeksha, a city-based women’s theatre group, is organising an online play festival featuring about eight women theater artists from across the state.
Titled ‘Wave: Women Artists’ Visual Expression’, the online play festival will be held from December 25 to January 1. “The pandemic has affected theatere artists and performers financially and culturally. Though many took to the online mode, others, especially women artists, have found it difficult to express themselves in tune with the ‘new normal’.
Taking this into consideration, we thought of organising an online play festival which will help in providing a platform for woman theatre artists to express themselves,” said Rajarajeshwari E, co-founder of Nireeksha. “Each artist will perform a solo play. The performance can be freestyle and be recorded in advance using phones or camera.
The plays in the lineup are expected to cater to mainstream themes. The artists are free to select any subject that corresponds to a feminist perspective. Each play is of a duration of 15 to 20 minutes,” said Rajarajeshwari.
About eight prominent theatre artists belonging to different age groups have been selected for the festival. The lineup includes Athira V P, Divya Gopinath, Garggi Ananthan, Kanchan Avchare, Pooja Mohanraj, Shajeela Subaida, Sherley Shaiju and Sobha Panchaman.
Athira V P is an active member of a women’s group called Arts of Kalaripparambu and has also acted in the recent film ‘Iratta Jeevitham’. Garggi Ananthan is one of the most popular theatre artist in the state. Her debut movie ‘Run Kalyani’ won her the best actress award in the ‘New York Indian Film Festival’ 2020.