Child146;s Play

THE Children8217;s Theatre Festival of North Eastern States in May 2001 changed the way Bal Agrawal, co-founder of the National Institute o...

THE Children8217;s Theatre Festival of North Eastern States in May 2001 changed the way Bal Agrawal, co-founder of the National Institute of Performing Arts NIPA, looked at theatre.

8216;8216;There was an 11-year-old actor whose father had been gunned down by insurgents two days earlier. But there he was, onstage, acting the part of a boy who is waiting for a birthday present from his father, a soldier posted in Kargil. All he receives though is the news of his death. There wasn8217;t a dry eye in the audience that day,8217;8217; recounts Agrawal. The play convinced him of the therapeutic values of theatre. Agrawal decided that instead of organising theatre festivals for all ages, NIPA would be 8216;8216;singularly dedicated to children8217;s drama8217;8217;.

This November, Agrawal presents the ninth International Children8217;s Theatre Festival at the Capital8217;s LTG Auditorium. Apart from productions from countries as diverse as Norway, South Africa and the West Indies, the Indian panorama will cover states from Tripura to Kerala.

The variety naturally brings up a kaleidoscope of children8217;s perspectives from around the globe. Norway8217;s Teater Klubb 8217;81 will stage Marja Gullsko, the festival8217;s inaugural show on November 14. This story of a meeting between god and the devil, set in the Garden of Paradise, is told through a flower. Norwegian playwright Dramagruppe Suldal Kulturskule8217;s non-verbal musical Outside-Inside urges the audience to read society8217;s unwritten rules of conformation.

Unomthandazo Theatre Company from South Africa will bring a conventional love story a rich girl-poor boy tragedy, while in Momo, the German Stic-er Theater will showcase a tricky theme8212;8216;8216;enigma of time and space8217;8217;8212; based on a book by Michael Ende. The National Youth Theatre from Antigua will stage The Awakening, which tackles the metaphor of a high school girl8217;s dreams and regrets, underlining the importance of education.

Closer home, Dhaka8217;s Shatttwik Little Theatre talks about the true story of a boy afflicted by polio, while Ek Vishphot Hoga uncovers the tyranny of a king and queen who keep their subjects unhappy, so they won8217;t demand more. A play from Tezpur, Assam, by United Artist will conclude the festival on November 19.

8216;8216;Except different cultural presentations and the higher production values of foreign troupes, it8217;s amazing to see how themes are common to all. Most often, they are about social and political problems, old age, national issues and can be understood universally,8217;8217; says Agrawal. The variety of themes hasn8217;t prevented him from laying some ground rules. A scene from a Mexican play had a nude girl bathing on stage. 8216;8216;No sex, no nudity,8217;8217; Agrawal said, and banned the play.

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It8217;s been a fulfilling journey for 69-year-old Agrawal, a High Court advocate who started NIPA with late friend PK Nandi in 1985. The duo organised festivals for troupes from the northeast. Agrawal was a part of his college drama society in Chapra, Bihar, and Nandi had acute literary inclinations. 8216;8216;Theatre is a unique personality-building tool. I wish we would not neglect children8217;s involvement in it,8217;8217; he says.

An affiliation with the International Amateur Theatre Association, headquartered in Estonia, has helped Agrawal run the show so far. Foreign participation is routed through this association. 8216;8216;Funds have always been tough to get. Souvenir sales help us. Thankfully, theatre still has many friends left,8217;8217; he says.

At LTG Auditorium, Mandi House, New Delhi. From November 14 to 19