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The undoubted highlight
of this year’s FESTIVAL OF INDIA will be the long-awaited debut of the
remarkable naya theatre, only the second theatre company from India to
ever visit Britain. Naya Theatre was founded in 1959 by director Habib
Tanvir as an ad-hoc organisation comprising folk artists from the remote
tribes and villages of chattisgarh, located in tanvir’s home region of
Chhattisgarh.
The company became a registered non-profit cultural organization in
1964, and a professional theatre in 1970, staging at least three new
plays a year and touring india. In addition to their performances, the
company also organizes lecture demonstrations, seminars, training
courses and amateurs. With peter brook their joint companies /had held
workshops as part of brook’s preparation for his production of the great
Indian classic THE MAHABHARATA. In a visually exciting production which
allows ample scope for the exuberant wit and energy of the village
performers. CHARAN THE THIEF features improvised dialogues, music, songs
and dance, combining traditional forms of Sanskrit theatre with folk
theatre and contemporary techniques. Habib Tanvir’s adaptation of this
comic folk-tale has been acclaimed throughout India as one of the
outstanding contributions to new Indian theatre and was the subject of a
full-length feature film.
At the Edinburgh festival 1982 prior to their visit to London, Naya
Theatre played to critical acclaim at the assembly room, and won the
Prestigious Fringe Firsts Award. |
