THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: If one meanders off MC Road towards Muthippara, a sleepy village located some 25km from the state capital, there is a fair chance you will encounter groups of men, women and children making their way to the public square to watch the premiere of stage productions by leading groups. Rain, shine, or TV soap operas – nothing, it seems, can dampen their love for theatre.
This decades-long acquired taste first found expression when some residents joined leading theatre groups, such as Sangachethana and Souparnika. Since then the village has become a fertile ground for professional productions, churning out artists and technical staff who have gone on to enrich the cultural landscape of the state. Currently, nearly 40 people from the area work in theatre groups. The love for plays took further root with the setting up of ‘Dhanya Naataka Gramam’, a centre for theatre groups, where they can conduct rehearsals and stage the ‘final’ – equivalent to a premiere in theatre parlance.
The Gramam was conceived by S Vijayakumar, a theatre aficionado and local resident, in May and is situated at Muthippara junction on a small parcel of land that he owns. With nearly 40 years of experience in the field, Vijayan, as he is locally known, decided to set up the facility to further cement the bond between local residents and theatre. The Gramam provides groups with food, accommodation and a stage, at a nominal price. In return, when groups wrap up camp, they have to perform their ‘final’ before the local audience, of around 300 people, free of cost.
“Theatre is my life. It’s an addiction. I set up the Gramam to remain in touch with the stage. People of my village also adore stage plays. I am more than happy to provide them with a steady opportunity to view leading theatre groups performing,” says Vijayan. The centre is named after Vijayan’s daughter Dhanya, who died 22 years ago when she was just three. “The name stands as a testament to his commitment and love for theatre,” said Sunil Raj, a resident. So far, nine leading theatre groups have camped at Dhanya. As residents turned up in large numbers, many productions had to be performed twice.
Valluvanad Nadham theatre company’s Suresh Divakaran, whose ‘Oozham’ was staged before a “full house” on Wednesday, said they hold the feedback of Muthippara audience in high-esteem owing to their rich connection with theatre. “We have staged plays here before. Trust me, their feedback is prescient. They have not erred even once. We value them,” he said.
The residents do their part to make groups feel at home at the Gramam. They don’t interfere with rehearsals and the entrance to the centre is covered in tarpaulin to limit outside attention. “Vijayan once sponsored a play that was staged at a nearby temple in broad daylight. There were no lighting arrangements and he wanted a good audience. The residents’ dedication to drama is unparalleled. When artists camp here for 15-20 days, we patiently wait for the three bells that are sounded as a prelude to plays,” Sunil added.