Hyderabad has always been regarded as a theatre backwater.But unexpectedly, in the last few years several new groups have sprung up in the city creating a definite theatre buzz.Nishumbita, a ballet and theatre group was established in 1995 and is still going strong. Six years ago Samahaara was formed by Rathna Shekar Reddy and now hosts the Hyderabad Theatre Fest. Both have significantly contributed to the theatre scene yet their perception of the field varies.Anjali Parvathi Koda, co-founder of Samahaara feels that Hyderabadi audience have improved and are more receptive to theatre.She says, “I’m very proud of our audience as they actually get what we’re trying to do.” One of their most recent plays, Dominic Wesley, was an absurd play dealing with the dilemma of artistic creativity over corporate money making. Despite its absurdity, Anjali says the audience besides not only liking and understanding the play, actually came back to her and debated about how the play progressed. “That was a very heart-warming response.” However, Rammohan Holagundi, a director with Nishumbita feels differently.“We perform experimental plays and social dramas that are thought provoking. But the audience in Hyderabad is looking for more, if not only, for entertainment. In such a scenario, we find them treating the play like a buffet line.You give it a taste , if its not your palette, move on.” Nevertheless, the boom has more to do with schools introducing drama societies.Says Rathna Shekar, actor, director and founder of Samahaara, “Nasr School has always had a theatrical society which conducts a play annually. Its a major event in their calendar. But now more schools have started theatre and drama clubs which have inculcated an interest from an earlier age. Schools like Indus, Oakridge, St Mary’s have all included theatre in their curriculum.” With theatre now becoming popular, theatre companies across the city have an audience base that they cater too. So how much of a play is artistic creativity as opposed to it being tailor-made for its audience? Says Rathna Shekar, “ Theatre ultimately is for the audience. The process is for its actors and the director but the ultimate product is for the audience.So in the end, artistic creativity goes hand in hand with what is audience friendly.” So though English theatre has picked up, Telugu theatre has barely picked up. Affroz Hussaini, an actor from the theatre group Nishumbita says, “There is no shortage of people watching plays as entry passes are cheap at Rs 100. Even in other venues and cities that plays are performed where prices may go upwards of Rs 200, audiences still turn out in moderate to large numbers. However, Telugu plays surprisingly don’t have the same pull that English and Hindi do.” Thus it seems that theatre has become the new ‘cool club’ to be a part of. With places like Lamakaan hosting plays, the younger blood of Hyderabad will stick around as long as the tide lasts. But groups like Samahaara and Nishumbita are here to stay and hope that more and more people take up theatre because “it’s an actor’s medium.” For a taste of Hyderabadi theatre, Samahaara presents Dominic Wesley on 18 June at 7:30 pm at Lamakaan while Nishumbita performs Mani Madhukar’s Salvaton Mein Samvaad and Suresh Chndragupts’ Homework on 19 June, 7:30 pm at Lamakaan.
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