New Delhi, Sep 15 As auditoriums lay vacant, members of the theatre community struggle to make ends meet, and audiences are snatched off of a popular form of art and entertainment, digital theatre is what stage veterans like Shernaz Patel say will keep makers connected to the audience.
Patel, who is the returning Artistic Director of Aadyam, the theatre initiative by the Aditya Birla Group that came into being in 2015, states that theatre has had to morph into a new avatar the world over. "The talent is still there, the desire to tell stories, to communicate that is not something that has diminished. Theatre makers globally have found innovative ways to make theatre a reality - from zoom plays to recording monologues, to collaborating with visual artists, to phone plays, audio drama, many fascinating and innovative projects have emerged."
While she acknowledges the argument that the essence of theatre is that it is live, the film and theatre actor says that necessity has made us embrace new forms of communicating with audiences. "Other countries are slowly returning to performing live...socially distanced, outdoor shows for the most part. For us, unfortunately, that is unlikely to happen in the immediate future."
"This is a tough time for theatre very tough," notes Patel.
"We excel in the live, we thrive on the immediate and tactile communion between us and the audience. This love, passion, need - call it what you will - brings us back to the stage year after year, even as sceptics debate if theatre is dying. Theatre has survived centuries. With every catastrophe, we have found ways to reinvent ourselves. Death has never been an option for us. So, in 2020 if we have to perform in 920 x 1080 pixels, we will. We accept the challenge. Because this is what we do. We will find a way to share stories, to entertain and inspire."
Redefining a new season with the arrival of 2020's digital theatre opus, Aadyam has embraced change by creating a world-class showcase with Aadyam - The Digital Edition.
Featuring three plays from Aadyam's repertoire built over the last 5 years, the new season spotlights an unusual debut in the history of Indian arts and culture. Streaming via Insider.in will be 'Bandish 20-20,000 Hz'
( With inputs from IANS )
Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor