Mysore/Mysuru: After successful launching of digital theatre series with “Kusumabaale”, Rangayana is all set to undertake a similar experimentation with “Kindarajogi”, a popular drama with over 30-year popularity that gave a new direction to the repertory and “Parva”, a famous novel by well-known Kannada novelist Dr. S.L. Bhyrappa.

Rangayana Director Addanda C. Cariappa said with Covid-19 gripping the entire world, all activities including theatre, have come to a standstill. People are forced to stay away from the repertory in the wake of spike in Corona cases. 

In fact, Rangayana, that used to be abuzz with theatre activities the whole year, has now been without any activity since March owing to Covid-19. With a view to keep this institute busy, an idea struck to make the digital theatre series of popular dramas staged in this repertory by using artistes, he said adding they chose “Kusumabaale”, a popular novel by noted Kannada litterateur Devanur Mahadeva because of its huge success and acceptance among theatre-lovers.

He said three cameras have been used to record the new experiment of “Vachikabhinaya” (reading dialogues)   by the artistes in their neutral costume. They would sit and read from the book and do action with their hands as necessitated by the character. As many as 16 artistes have taken part in this exercise. The background music has been scored by Rangayana artistes. In total, there are nine episodes and the entire series have been shot by strictly following the guidelines like social distancing, wearing masks and sanitisation.

Theatre month

Cariappa said it has been decided to make September month as theatre active month by launching various activities. Training for amateur artistes and students will be held next month. Already, the artistes are busy in rehearsal for “Vachikabhinaya” of “Parva”  and “Kindarajogi.”  The repertory has picked  “Hippolytus,” an ancient Greek tragedy play by Euripides. Besides, all the popular songs of the first Director of Rangayana, B.V. Karanth will also be brought in “Vachikabhinaya” form. This work was necessary since the repertory did not have documentary of its activities since its inception nearly three decades ago.