Seventy and Counting

Delhi-based Three Arts Club,the grandfather of every other theatre group in the country,turns 70 this month. “Older than India,” says Anuradha Dar,whose father RM Kaul had founded the group with two colleagues Om Sharma and Devi Chand Kayasth. The founding members are no more and many of those who were young actors in the pre-Independence era are grey haired today. Fittingly,the anniversary celebrations of Three Arts Club,from November 13-15,will look back and forward.

The morning of November 13 will feature an inter-school theatre competition. The seven participants include St George’s School,Alaknanda,which will stage Panch Parmeshwar,a Munshi Premchand tale in which a man finds himself sitting in judgement on an old,trusted friend,and Shiv Nadar School,Noida,which has chosen Beyond the Land of Hattamala,a magical romp in which two thieves land in a country that has no concept of money. “Long before children’s theatre became important in India,Three Arts Club had held one. It was in the 1950s and Jawaharlal Nehru had inaugurated it,” says Dar,as she stresses on the need to engage with youngsters who will carry on the legacy.

The remaining two days of the festival will feature Three Arts’ Club’s plays,Parmaatma,and Yeh Daag Daag Ujaala. In the former,the gods come down to earth but realise how dysfunctional the human world is. After being pushed around once too often,they realise that man is on a drive to self destruct,and even gods cannot save them. Yeh Daag Daag Ujaala is a satire about Indian policies and polity. “Even several decades after Independence,India falls woefully short in basic ways. These are the stains,the patches,the Daag in the story,” says Dar.

The festival will be held at Shri Ram Centre from November 13-15. Entry: Rs 50 for the school theatre festival; between Rs 100 and 200 for Parmaatma and Yeh Daag Daag Hai. Contact: 9810220016