World Theater Day Special: Theater battling capitalism

World Theater Day Special: Theater was quite prosperous in Jamshedpur in the eighties and nineties. But due to lack of dedication, dreaming of Mayanagari and other reasons, the theater activity started slowing down with time. The theater artists say that the main reason for this laxity is the lack of auditorium.

Theater workers do not get space for rehearsal, no open stage

Artists do not get space for rehearsal, there is no open stage. Even if there are some auditoriums, their rent is so high that theater workers cannot afford it. According to theater workers, land was given by the company to various clubs and institutions to promote drama and other arts.

Auditorium has become commercialized

Everything was fine in the initial phase but today the auditoriums of clubs and various institutions have become commercialized. In such a situation, auditoriums are available at higher rates. It is not within the power of the stage artists to stage a play by affording it. The report tries to take a closer look at the city’s theater on World Theater Day.

Auditorium rent 40-50 thousand rupees

Senior theater artist Hari Mittal says that a major reason for the decline of theater is the lack of auditorium. Auditoriums are available on rent for Rs 40-50 thousand. No theater organization can afford such a huge amount. The second main reason is the absence of good plays. The reason for this is that the audience is turning away from the drama. The sense of dedication towards theater among the theater artists has also reduced. Young people start with theater but their aim is to go into TV or films. Theater is being killed in every way.

Also Read: World Theater Day: Artists of Ghatshila engaged in reviving theatre.

Company and government should build auditorium

Hari Mittal says that an auditorium should be built for theatrical staging by the industrial house of Jamshedpur i.e. Tata Company and the government. Theatrical institutions should get this at nominal rate. Secondly, a small auditorium can also be built from Kala Mandir Bistupur side.

Quality plays should be staged

Senior theater artiste Krishna Sinha tells that we did a lot of work during the years 1980 and 90. At that time the auditorium was available at low rent. But today paying auditorium rent is proving to be a difficult task for any theater institution. She says that a committee should be formed. Who decides the rate of auditorium for staging a drama. There should also be a condition that only quality plays are staged. With such an effort, perhaps the tradition of staging and watching plays can be restarted.

Public space has decreased

IPTA Secretary Arpita says that the nature of theater has changed in Jamshedpur. Now everything is getting sponsored. Simply put, public spaces have decreased. Open gardens are not stages. The rent for the auditorium is very high. We will have to grapple with this in capitalist times. Theater artists do not have enough funds to rent an auditorium and perform theatre. She says that there should be some time in the year when the auditorium is available for free or at very little cost.

Also Read: World Theater Day: Theater workers expressed their pain, said – Government should give an auditorium instead of money and program

Will have to find small spaces

Arpita also says that there is a shortage but we also have to show dedication towards theatre. Staying in this, we will have to look for alternatives. Small spaces will have to be found for theatre. An audience has to be created. School and college can be a good place for this. Currently Arpita is working with Little IPTA. Along with the children, she is doing small works on Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Jawahar Lal Nehru, Lal Bahadur Verma etc.

The sequence has started again

Theater director Aruna Jha says that compared to the old times, theater is a bit slow now. People want fame in less time and hence run towards films. One has to spend time in theatre. There is a shortage of auditorium for staging plays in our city. The rent is so high that you cannot afford the auditorium.

Firstly, you have to do rehearsals for a month at your own pocket expense, then you get the auditorium at a higher rate, this becomes difficult for the theater artists. We are making efforts to get the auditorium at concessional rate. In recent years, drama is being staged in Jamshedpur. Recently Bhojpuri Drama Festival was held at Tulsi Bhawan Bistupur.

We can’t do drama in our city

Theater director Shivlal Sagar says that it would be wrong to make the excuse that the audience is not coming to watch the play. If the play is not happening then where will the audience come from? We are active. He is continuously doing plays but is unable to do plays in his city. They go to Bhubaneswar, Agra and other cities and perform plays. The reason for this is the expensiveness of the auditorium here. To do a play you have to spend 60-70 thousand rupees.

What do the auditorium owners say?

We are providing halls for staging plays at very affordable rates. They give the hall for five thousand rupees. Electricity expenditure also remains the same. Rates for commercial activity are slightly higher.

Dipankar Dutta, General Secretary Milani, Bistupur

We are providing auditorium for staging plays at 50 percent rebate. They also provide space for rehearsals for free. Every year in December, the date for staging the drama is almost fixed.

Prasenjit Tiwari, General Secretary Tulsi Bhawan, Bistupur

We provide auditoriums at subsidized rates to theater institutions for staging plays. If any theater organization jointly stages a play with Bengal Club, it is given an auditorium free of cost. They also provide free chairs for the spectators. We have a separate drama section here.

Devashish Naha, Former General Secretary, Bengal Club, Sakchi