CHARANDAS
CHOR
(Charandas,
the thief)
A children's
version in Malayalam of the contemporary classic
Design
and Direction : Chandradasan
Text:
by Habib Tanvir
Translation:
Shirly Somasundaran
Music : V.R.Selvaraj
Light Design: Sumesh Chittooran
Duration of the play: 80 mts.
MAZHAVILLU
(tr: 'rainbow')
a children's theatre group, Kochi, Kerala
Mazhavillu is a children's
theatre group organised under the leadership of Lokadharmi and Changampuzha
Samskarika Kendra Edappalli, Kochi. The group is an offshoot of a children's
theatre workshop organised at Changampuzha Park during May 2001. Since
then the group was functioning regularly on the evening of all Saturdays.
The activities included theatre games, improvisations, play readings,
mask making etc. The group is officially inaugurated on 15th of December
2002 with the premiere show of children's version of Charandas Chor,
in Malayalam.
Mazhavillu, the children's theatre group is aiming to be a permanent
centre for children's theatre activities, so as to link the children
with the culture, tradition and social realities of the day and to give
them training and exposure to theatre.
Charandas
Chor
The play chronicles the mundane tale of the eponymous hero; a thief
who promises his guru never to tell lies. He takes four other vows in
jest: not to eat from a golden plate, not to ride on an elephant at
the head of a procession, not to marry a queen, and to decline any offer
to become a king.
In one comic episode after
another, Charandas manages to elude the clutches of the constable and
in time, the thief attains cult status. At this point, he decides to
quit robbery, but not before accomplishing his dream of dipping into
the state exchequer. He pulls it off, but in the process also filches
the heart of the young queen.
Wooed by the willful queen,
all of Charandas's four promises come back to confront the honest thief.
Charandas refuses to go back on his word, and pays with his life.
This is a contemporary play
- a metaphor for society. Every character is representative of a certain
kind of system that prevails in the society - be it the havildar (police),
guru or the rani (queen). And Charandas Chor himself represents a thought
that can rip off the stereotyped social structure.
The original play created
from a Rajasthani folk tale by Habib Tanvir and performed all over the
world has turned out to be the most important event in the history of
Indian theatre Mazhavillu has attempted to create unique version of
this contemporary classic, and it has given the children a platform
to explore a different world - a world very close to their lives where
they come across various characters, explore them, imbibe them and portray
them. The rawness of their minds mingled with the tangy flavour of a
folk tale gives the play an all together new dimension - a visual delight.
a centre for theatre
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