Prithvi, a world apart

I have been actively involved in Prithvi since 1990. Today I am the honorarydirector whose main job is allocating dates to different theatre groups, monitoring Prithvi8217;s art gallery and children8217;s projects and obtaining financial support for the institution. Of course, I am always involved in organising annual festivals. In 1992, I assisted Feroz Khan who was in charge of the first theme-based festival at Prithvi, the theme being 8220;Playwright at the centre of the world.8221;

In 1995, I handled the annual festival on my own, this time concentrating on 8220;Contemporary World Theatre.8221; I was utterly thrilled by this experience. Over the years, I have found that a theme always helps to provide a better focus. For instance, in 1997, the fest concentrated on 8220;Theatre of India8221; involving 28 groups performing in ten Indian languages at three different venues. Without a theme, these groups would never have come together. This time we have zeroed in on 8220;Theatre of Mumbai.8221; Eighteen groups from Mumbai will present original productions during the 17-day festival.

Another reason for holdingtheme-based festivals is to check whether there is an audience for a certain kind of theatre. Do people want to see what we hold so dear to our hearts? Surprisingly, we have always found an audience which justifies the need for a theme. I believe that if one is doing something with which one has a personal attachment, in whatever field of expression, there will always be someone who understands the sentiment.

The success of our shows at the Horniman Circle garden speaks volumes for this. We have been able to tap an invisible audience which even included a taxiwalla who may not have ventured into an auditorium. So far three plays have been performed in the public garden on the first Saturday of every month. But such efforts will have to be doubled. Otherwise, we will never broaden our audience base.

In my ten years at Prithvi, my constant concern is to avoid forcing a culture on the audience. I dread becoming the dinosaur of a cultural institute which is dead from within but keeps itself alive only byway of flashy events. I want to be associated with theatre which is required8217; and socially relevant. And from this feeling stems my occasional dejection. I question myself about the activities at Prithvi. After 21 years of existence, Prithvi has a name and certainly an audience. But, right through the year, we do not have even a handful of plays which meet with international standards.

Another area of concern is how to assess a theatre group before permitting it to perform at Prithvi. Prithvi is not merely a venue, it is a definite statement in the movement for positive theatre. Therefore, I have to pay extra attention to the general approach of the group toward the cause of theatre, especially regarding its sincerity and staying power. We do not want to promote any fly-by-night outfits. Due to lack of time, I do not see rehearsals of all the plays, though ideally I should do so. I am also worried about my absolute capability to critique a play. I do offer suggestions to many groups, which have beenwell-received so far.

I feel that not only the public but also theatre groups must watch as many plays as possible. The festivals are organised with the intention of staging the best8217; theatre talent. However, it is very frustrating to see that very few many theatre groups welcome a free exchange of ideas. In fact, Prithvi has spoilt many groups by providing them too many facilities. These groups do not make any effort to watch the plays staged by others, nor do they struggle to reach out to newer audiences. Unlike in the past, they do not want to take any risks. I have often felt they play safe while selecting a script.

In 1998 we organised a festival on European theatre. I was really taken aback when some local groups told me there was no 8220;need8221; for it! First, they had the arrogance to believe they had nothing left to learn. And second, the audacity to say that 8220;we cannot match their standards because we are technically and financially poorer.8221; Of course, despite such problem areas, I do find peopleare dedicated to the cause of theatre. We have been lucky to have a loyal band of young volunteers offering their time for the theatre8217;s activities. The magic of theatre, its immediacy, does bring people back to this medium. The current festival has attracted participation by TV and cinema artistes who were once involved in theatre. And this gives us the extra zest to organise the annual event.

Of course, while being involved in all these activities, we must not lose sight of one thing theatre and theatre audiences exist because of each other, and efforts should be directed towards encouraging both. Even after 21 years, Prithvi has a lot to do in terms of furtherance of theatre, which will of course be judged in the years ahead. We intend to build a centre where artistes can do riyaz. It will be a workshop-based training to improve the quality of performances. But for now, the November 3 deadline for beginning of the Prithvi Festival 8217;99.

As told to Sumedha Raikar-Mhatre