Theatre for a different sake

Kolkata, Jun 23 (UNI) ''Theatre village--Satkahan'', located around 180 kms away from here, is a village where theatre has transformed the life and livelihood of the villagers.

Modelled on Ratan Thiyam's theatre group, which works in the interiors of the Manipur villages, ''Ebong Amra'', a Bengali theatre group, has replicated the concept of changing the life and livelihood of people through theatre in ''Satkahan'', a tribal village.

The villagers, who worked as daily labourers earlier, have been inspired to join the theatre works by ''Ebong Amra''.

An open air theatre has become the hub of the local people's entertainment as well as an alternative livelihood for the villagers.

''I started experimenting with the villagers, who hardly had any conventional education, and that was the real challenge. Now 25 people take part in our play regularly,'' director of 'Ebong Amra' Kallol Bhattacharya told UNI yesterday, stating 75 more people were involved indirectly remaining in the backstage.

''The experiment has been successful only because the plays are in a way reflection of their lives, livelihood, joys and pangs. These human stories become more lively with tribal music and dances in the background,'' Mr Bhattacharya added.

The experiment does not end here. Kallol, who hailed from this village, has also focussed on the overall economic upliftment of the village.

A farm house has been built, which the theatre group aims to develop as a cultural tourism hub, with a vast area dedicated to vegetable, poultry farming and orchards.

The earning from the farm house is equally divided between the theatre group and the villagers for their economic development.

UNI