An Elegy for the Displaced

 

Express News Service

First Published : 15 Sep 2009 12:04:00 AM IST

Last Updated : 15 Sep 2009 09:40:18 AM IST

KOCHI: Soorpanakha is the rereading of the story of Soorpanakha based on ‘Thaykulam’, a short story written by Sara Joseph.

The theatrical interpretation presents the main character as a representative of femininity who is mutilated in response to her plea for love. The play tries to find the meta-mindset of Soorpanakha within all feminine premises. It tells the story of pain and loss that blocks all organic routes of humankind.

The story finds a modern day interpretation in the tales from Sri Lanka, Muthanga, Moolampilly and Chengara.

The play employs stage and screen technology to present past and future events on stage making use of primeval characters from myth and placing them against the backdrop of modern reality.

The play also explores the scope of Kurathi, one among the strongest poetic interpretations of femininity, by the late Kadammanitta Ramakrishnan.

The new twist in the dramatic plot adds to the enigmatic style of visualisation and the play becomes a theatrical expression of social interaction.

In the play Soorpanakha becomes a martyr and the victim of a strange legal morality that leaves the earth and woman wounded forever.

She comes back from the world of long forgotten primordial forms to repeat the Ramayana. And to represent the mutilated nature and ousted tribes the undeniable social metaphors of Muthanga, Moolampilly and Chengara are used.

'Soorpanakha' is conceived and directed by Ullas Mavilayi, a post graduate in Malayalam literature and a graduate from School of Drama, Thrissur. Actively involved in amateur theatre activities in Kerala, he has worked on many plays performed all over Kerala and Delhi. Director of many plays including 'Soothakodeeram', 'Othello', 'Dharmakshetre Kurukshetre' and 'Innalthe Mazha', he has acted and assisted in directing in the Tamil film In the Name of Buddha.

Pradeep Chittor, the actor who plays the role of Soorpanakha has been active in amateur theatre for the last eleven years.

He has performed for popular theatre attempts like 'Karnabharam', 'Poranadi', 'Media', 'Innalathe Mazha', 'Pattabakki' and 'Chayamukhi'. He was the winner of the central government scholarship for theatre performance in the year 2005 and an active member of Lokadharmi, theatre group of Prof Chandradasan.

'Soorpanakha' will be staged on September 17 at Edappally Changampuzha Park at 6 30 pm.

Courtesy New Indian Express Kochi, 15 September 2009