The International Theatre Festival of Kerala turns Thrissur into a global stage, from February 5

Music, art, drama, dance and dialogue will light up the 13th edition of the International Theatre Festival of Kerala (ITFoK). Making a resounding comeback after a two-year pandemic break, ITFoK is all set for a mega show that promises to turn Thrissur city into a massive interactive stage from February 5 to 14.

With 10 international productions, 14 plays from across India, talks, discussions, workshops and art shows, the festival is a celebration of theatre and a unique meeting place for theatre-makers and theatre-goers. For as little as ₹60 for each play, audiences can look forward to watching productions by famous theatre practitioners from Brett Bailey to Romeo Castellucci, and also listen to Indian thespians such as Naseeruddin Shah, Prakash Raj and MK Raina.

Deepan Sivaraman is one of the curators of the 13th edition of the International Theatre Festival of Kerala, which begins in Thrissur on February 5. 
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Special arrangement

Deepan Sivaraman has curated the festival with B Ananthakrishnan, dean of Sarojini Naidu School of Art, and veteran theatre-person Anuradha Kapur. Deepan, a prominent contemporary theatre director, discusses how they planned this year’s festival. “Since this is a post-pandemic edition, we wanted it to be a space where we could be together, hold hands, discuss and soak in theatre. We wanted to encourage theatre-makers and theatre-goers to return. We wanted to give them that confidence.”

Deepan adds, “During the pandemic, all of us, at one point or the other, felt isolated but we also saw how people reached out to each other. It is hard to sustain ourselves without each other. It was reinforced by the pandemic. That is precisely why our theme this year is Humanity Must Unite.”

A scene from Peter Brooks’ Tempest Project, one of the international productions that will be staged at Thrissur as part of ITFoK
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Special arrangement

In keeping with the theme, one of the plays is Peter Brooks’ iconic Tempest Project, which will be staged in India for the first time. Stating that Brooks’ Mahabharatha was a landmark play with a global cast, Deepan says, “It is fitting that we invite Brook’s Tempest Project to pay tribute to the late director who brought the world on a stage with his oeuvre.”

Also look out for Samson — a work deeply invested in the socio-politics of South Africa — by Brett Bailey, considered one of the world’s most significant modern directors. Then there are plays by contemporary legends such as Romeo Castellucci from Italy, Eugenio Barba from Denmark and Palestinian playwright and director Bashar Markus. Of the 10 international productions, five are coming directly from the Festival d’ Avignon.

Hero Beauty, a play from Taiwan  
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SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

“There are two plays for children – Hero Beauty , an opera from Taiwan, and Maya Bazaar, staged by Telangana-based Surabhi, the family-based theatre repertoire,” says Deepan. The grand finale will be Royston Abel’s magnus opus Manganiyar Seduction, which has toured 33 countries. Forty musicians from three generations of Manganiyars will perform in a ‘36-windowed jewel box’. It will be staged on February 14, at 8.45pm at the Pavilion Theatre

ITFoK’s list of programmes

Theatre Colloquium: The series of talks will focus on different aspects, philosophy, challenges and practice of theatre. Professor of Philosophy Sundar Sarukkai, theatre director Neelam Mansingh, academic Shiv Viswanathan, theatre activist Mangai and MK Rania are some of the participants.

Public Lectures: Every day, the 45-minute public lecture begins at 10am. Artist-poet Ghulam Mohammed Shiekh, poet Sachidanandan, South African sociologist Ari Sitas, actor Prakash Raj and author Mukund Rao are some of the speakers. Their talks come broadly under the theme of Peace and Alliances.

Artist in conversation: At 11am, directors and actors will participate in interactive sessions with the public wherein they discuss the aesthetics of the play, theme and the performance.

Master class: February 7 to 12. In association with the Kerala Institute of Local Administration, ITFoK is organising a week-long theatre workshop for women. Priority will be given to women working in Kudumbasree and community-based initiatives.

Theatre Pedagogy: The International Festival of Theatre Schools, a platform to discuss the study of theatre, academic curriculum and pedagogy in theatre, will be conducted by the curatorial team of ITFoK, Thrissur-based School of Drama and Fine Arts, Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, Kalady, Kerala Sangeet Natak Academy, and Kerala Kalamandalam. Participants, including children, will interact with 15 leading theatre practitioners.

ITFoK’s curated collection of plays explores complex contemporary issues ranging from fascism, racism and intolerance to ecocide and gender identity. Lectures, conversations with the director and workshops are some of the highlights of the 10-day event.

Sujathan Master Scenic Gallery designed by architect Lijo Jose
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Special arrangement

Two architects will also be collaborating with this edition of ITFoK. Kozhikode-based Brijesh Shaijal has designed a 1,200-seater open-air Pavilion Theatre. Another impressive structure is Behind the Scenes — Sujathan Master Scenic Gallery. Designed by architect Lijo Jose, the space showcases cycloramas (theatre backdrops) hand-painted by Sujathan Master, an artist who has designed the backdrop for some of the iconic plays in Malayalam. A space for performances and gatherings, the structure’s walls showcase 14 works that Sujathan Master designed for different companies.

The Manganiyar Seduction opens by slowly lighting up a stack of boxes in which 36 musicians play a variety of Indian instruments. The play is the grand finale of ITFoK
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SHANTANU DAS

An important allied event being organised in collaboration with Kerala Lalithakala Akademi is Theruvuvara (street art), curated by artist Anpu Varkey. Twenty artists and volunteers are painting the walls of the city with art that reinforces the message of Humanity Must Unite. The work will be completed by February 5, when the festival opens at 10am with a concert by popular Indie band, Indian Ocean.

A painting of the late theatre person KT Mohammed on the campus of the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi’s Regional Theatre in Thrissur, as part of Theruvuvara, a street art festival organised by the Kerala Lalithakala Akademi, in association with Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi.
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KK Najeeb

Deepan says the festival comes at a juncture when the country’s cultural scene is going through a difficult phase: “However, when I speak to artists, they feel that Kerala is a place of hope where dialogues can still happen without fear. That is important to cherish and preserve.”

Passes will be issued for individual plays alone. 60% of the tickets, each worth ₹60 will be issued at the venue while 40% of the tickets can be bought online at the website itfok.com

Call 04872332134, 2332548 for more details.