FROM THEN TO NOW : THE

EVOLUTION OF THIRD THEATRE

Grotowski

The trend of experimentation in theatrical world in the post colonial era came through hands of Jerzy Grotowski,a theatrical personality of Poland.

Grotowski introduced ‘The Poor Theatre’: a new avenue where emphasis was given on actors’ control over their bodies, breathing and spiritual self.

Also tried to create bonding between actor and audience.

BEGINNING

 (August 11, 1933 - January 14, 1999)

MAIDEN STEP

•Badal Sircar, the high priest of modern indian theatre came into contact with Grotowski in Poland.

•Sircar got highly influenced by the Grotowskian motif and principles of The Poor Theatre.

•During naxalite movement sircar in 1970s started anti-establishment of play and brought theatre out of proscenium to open arena.

BADAL SARKAR(1925-2011)

THIRD THEATRE

This new form of drama began to achieve popularity among both the upper class and the common folk.

“Portable, flexible, inexpensive”

It has been named “THIRD THEATRE” following the title of one

of sircar’s book THIRD THEATRE.

WHY “THIRD THEATRE”? Before the introduction of Third Theatre

there were two kinds of theatre in India-

i)Proscenium theatre(imported from Britain popular mainly in town).

ii)Folk theatre (popular in village).

Sircar coalescing the elements of these two sorts of theatre evolves this dramatic tradition and thus rightly named Third Theatre.

Badal sircar observed a great conflict between this two form of drama and paved path for the emergence of this new dramatic vogue.

SIRCAR’S AGENDA To bring connection

between body and soul of the actors.

To create bonding between actor and audience by making both of them active.

To bring theatre within the reach of every strata of society.

To simplify the theatrical techniques so that it becomes perceivable to man in general.

A SCENE FROM BADAL SIRCAR’S SPARTACUS

FeaturesFollowing the above mentioned

principles Sircar fixed some criterias for “Third Theatre”-

i)Move theatre from proscenium to street or under the tree or open space. Thus it is also known as “street play”.

ii)”Third theatre” is intended for man in general and thus the dialogues of such plays are very lucid, comprehensible to all.

iii)In order to create a direct bonding with the audience "Third Theatre” is performed in an plain surface where the actors are encircled by audience in three sides. Even the audience can directly take part in the main action.

iv)The plot of play is devoid of any complexity. Sometime it contains some moral messages, such as in sircar’s “Hotto Malar Opare”. There is a message of mutual cooperation.

A glimpse from “Hotto Malar Opare”

v) Deduction of props and theatrical instruments . Essential props and setting are created by utilization of body.

vi) Music is introduced to serve moral advice as Sircar thinks that it has a power to create charming effect.

• Music plays an integral role in this sort of drama . Actually Sircar

thinks that music and song can easily attach audience to the play as well as to the actors, which is

one of the main principles.• But in terms of music there is also

individuality. Here the songs are mainly of folk culture ,namely panchali ,kobigan ,vatiali song which help the rural folk to feel

connected with the play.

Role of music and song

• The musical instruments are also essentially traditional-dhol , harmonium , kartal , pakhowaaj are some among them.

RELEVANCE OF WORKSHOP• Sircar in order to create bonding

between body and soul introduces theatrical workshops.

•In those workshops the theatrical techniques are taught through many games, like energy passing, trust game, follow the leader, mirroring etc.

• But the sole aim of such games are to enhance the connection of soul and body, on which “third theatre” is based.

• Open and free thinking of mind is emphasized.

HUMAN SCUILPTURE,A

WORKSHOP GAME

POLITICS IN THIRD THEATRE

• Badal sircar was a staunch political personality who took active part in naxalite movement.

•Sircar thinks that society needs reform first rather than human being.

•His plays have emblematic reference to contemporary political field.

•Baki Itihas, Trinshsatabdi, Evam Indrajit, Sarkas, Sesh Nei exhibit Sircar’s refusal to accept society as it is and his frantic search for the right path to follow.

CONTEMPORARY PRACTITIONERAlong with Badal Sircar Habib Tanveer from

Chattisgarh, Safader Hasmi from Deihi also help to establish this new theatrical dimension with their works like Agra Bazar (1954), Shatranj Ke Mohrey (1954),Lala Shoharat Rai (1954),Mitti ki Gaadi (1958) [ by tanveer ] ; Machine, Aurat, Gaon Se Shahar Tak, Raja Ka Baja and Hatyare.[by hasmi] .

HABIB TANVEER SAFADAR HASMI

PERFORMANCE OF SAFADER HASHMI’S “JANAM”

A SCENE FROM TANVIR’S “CHANDRADAS”

`… slowly but surely the Third Theatre is taking

roots in the soils of India` -

- Badal Sircar Evidence shows that Third

Theatre poses a challenge to the proscenium. In many

educational institutes including WBSU it has already acquired a significant prominence . Thus

with Sircar`s ideas and exemplary effort, it is a

fascinating phenomenon in contemporary

Indian theatre.