Mysore/Mysuru: Mysuru has a long-standing tradition of English theatre, said veteran theatre artiste Sreemathi Hariprasad. She was speaking after inaugurating the first edition of Mysuru English Theatre Festival (METF), organised by Mysuru English Theatre Forum at Jagannatha Centre for Art & Culture in Vijayanagar last evening.
The 3-day Fest, which runs till Dec. 14, was formally launched with the release of the Fest poster.
Recalling the city’s rich theatre legacy, Sreemathi Hariprasad said, English theatre in Mysuru dates back to the 1940s. Although she had limited information about that early period, she was actively associated with the theatre during the 1950s, 60s, and 70s and witnessed the vibrancy of those decades.
Her own entry into theatre came through Anton Chekhov’s play ‘The Proposal.’ When a boy who was to play the female role failed to turn up, she stepped in unexpectedly. “Had that not happened, I would have continued as a radio artiste,” she recalled.
Plays across India
She also spoke about actor Sampath, a noted film personality who collaborated with British group Shakespeare International Society to stage English plays across India. Sampath’s productions were known for their precise dialogue delivery and elegant costumes, which he carefully preserved at home. He was supported by P. Gururaj Rao.
Sampath gained prominence through his successful staging of European plays and Sreemathi Hariprasad herself acted in several of his productions.
Noting that English theatre did not easily reach smaller towns in the past, she said the advent of computers and Artificial Intelligence (AI) has made the language more accessible.
Indian English, with its distinct pronunciation, is easily understood by audiences. English theatre, she added, is steadily growing in major cities such as Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru and Kolkata.
Appealing to young audience
Contemporary Indian themes blended with global storytelling styles have made English theatre particularly appealing to younger audiences.
Despite challenges such as high production costs and limited performance venues, English theatre continues to thrive through festivals, independent groups, experimental platforms, digital stages, corporate sponsorships and international collaborations. “This is a unique feature of India’s cultural landscape,” she said.
Director of Kalpa Heritage Trust Dr. V.R. Anil Kumar, was the guest of honour at the event. Mysuru English Theatre Forum Members Shashidhar Dongre, Seemantini B. Sharma, Neema Manjrekar and Meenu were present. A play titled ‘Two Fathers’, written by Sundar Sarukai and directed by Badri Narayan, was staged by Kalasuruchi.
Today (Dec. 13), there will be a Poetry Reading session from 5 pm to 6 pm and WeMove Theatre will stage the play ‘Who Killed Agatha?’ (Director: Pavan Sharma) at 6.30 pm.
Tomorrow (Dec. 14), there will be reading from international English plays from 5 pm to 6 pm and The Actors’ Collective will present ‘The Mahabharatha Project’ (Director: P.I. Rajesh) at 6.30 pm.
This post was published on December 13, 2025 6:38 pm