
Lokadharmi
A centre for theatre training, research and performance

The training School
The beginning was the theatre training school,
where actors were given intense training in acting and introduced them to the different acting systems from all over the world that included the traditional Indian theatre like that of Kathakali, Koodiyattam, and many folk forms like Mudiyettu, Padayani, Theyyam and a lot other narrative theatre forms widely existing in Kerala. Also the techniques from Greek Theatre, Theatre of Shakespeare, Modern theatre starting from Stanislavski and the method acting, Artuad and the theatre of Cruelty, Grotowski and the physical theatre, Brecht and epic theatre, to the newer experiments done by Peter Brook and Eugene Barba are used. While doing all this at and at the same time rooted deep in the theater and performance tradition of the land.
The beginning was the theatre training school,
where actors were given intense training in acting and introduced them to the different acting systems from all over the world that included the traditional Indian theatre like that of Kathakali, Koodiyattam, and many folk forms like Mudiyettu, Padayani, Theyyam and a lot other narrative theatre forms widely existing in Kerala. Also the techniques from Greek Theatre, Theatre of Shakespeare, Modern theatre starting from Stanislavski and the method acting, Artuad and the theatre of Cruelty, Grotowski and the physical theatre, Brecht and epic theatre, to the newer experiments done by Peter Brook and Eugene Barba are used. While doing all this at and at the same time rooted deep in the theater and performance tradition of the land.
The study was also on the history and envelopment of theater all over through world; the change in perceptions of theatre and also on the different ages mould a theatre was undertaken. For convenience and clarity we designed a cyclic format for training that is broadly divided into different phases of one year duration focusing on Indian classical and Traditional Theatre, European classic theatre, the Kerala Theatre, Contemporary Indian Theatre, And the Modern Theatre all over the world.
The theatre training school has its regular sections on all Sundays and has been on the run without any break from October 1991. Faculty from all over the world has visited the school and done Workshops to train our artists.
Also Lokadharmi undertakes extension workshops at rural areas, schools and colleges to initiate theatre awareness among aspiring artists and art lovers.
The theatre training school has its regular sections on all Sundays and has been on the run without any break from October 1991. Faculty from all over the world has visited the school and done Workshops to train our artists.
Also Lokadharmi undertakes extension workshops at rural areas, schools and colleges to initiate theatre awareness among aspiring artists and art lovers.
Mazhavil
Children’s Theatre
Mazhavillu is a children’s theatre wing of Lokadharmi which 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 evenings of all Saturdays, and also conducts workshops on midsummer vacation. The group is officially inaugurated on 15th of December 2002 with the premiere show of children’s version of Charandas Chor, in Malayalam directed by Chandradasan.
Mazhavillu has produced many plays including Thathamaram(Chandradasan), Bommanahalliyile Kinnarayogi, (Chandradasan), Panjarasala (BV Karanth), Alibabayum 40 Kallanmarum (Chandrasekhar Kambar) directed by Chandradasan, Mugdhadhara (Rabindra Nadh Tagore) Tom and Jerry, (Arun Puthezhathu) both directed by Sudheer Babu, and Girl in the photograph and Chipko, Chipko, both written and directed by Shirly Somasundaran. These plays have been performed in carious festivals in Kerala, New Delhi and Ahmadabad.
Mazhavillu, the children’s theatre group aspire 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.
Mazhavillu has produced many plays including Thathamaram(Chandradasan), Bommanahalliyile Kinnarayogi, (Chandradasan), Panjarasala (BV Karanth), Alibabayum 40 Kallanmarum (Chandrasekhar Kambar) directed by Chandradasan, Mugdhadhara (Rabindra Nadh Tagore) Tom and Jerry, (Arun Puthezhathu) both directed by Sudheer Babu, and Girl in the photograph and Chipko, Chipko, both written and directed by Shirly Somasundaran. These plays have been performed in carious festivals in Kerala, New Delhi and Ahmadabad.
Mazhavillu, the children’s theatre group aspire 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.