THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Music could be heard from the premises of Bharat Bhavan at Thycaud on Sunday evening. A group of children were busy practising their lines, rehearsing their parts for a play. The activity was part of a five-day theatre workshop organised by Bharat Bhavan, which concluded on Sunday.
The workshop titled ‘Bharatham’ was organised for children aged 7-15 years. A yearly workshop, this is the second time Bharat Bhavan is organising such an event.
Prasanth Narayan, chairman of the theatre group ‘Tiruvarangu’ as well as the director of the workshop said that education in theatre is not a familiar concept here and that they hope to change it.
He said children are losing touch with traditional and folk theatre. “The workshop has been organised to familiarise them with different forms of theatre, be it kathakali or the conventional drama. Aspects of theatre even comes up in different day-to-day activities. The students are taught ways to make themselves more expressive.”
The workshop was inaugurated by veteran artiste Kavalam Narayana Panicker, who also took classes for the children. Classes were also conducted by poet and lyricist R K Damodaran and Margi Usha on Theatre and Nangyar Kuthu respectively.
Three-time National Award winner actor Sharada shared her experience on acting, while cine and television actor Yadu Krishnan also conducted classes.
The valedictory was attended by workshop director Prasanth, Bharat Bhavan member secretary Satheesh Babu Payyanur, KSFDC chairman Rajmohan Unnithan and Cultural Department secretary Rani George IAS. Rajmohan Unnithan inaugurated the valedictory ceremony.
The students put together a play titled ‘Kaserakali’, coordinated by Saran S S, a former student of Thrissur School of Drama.
