Henrik Ibsen theatre festival treat by college students
College students here are set to revive the annual Ibsen festival this month by bringing alive adaptations of plays by the 19th century Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. Five plays by the iconic playwright will be interpreted by student theatre groups from the Delhi University and the Jawaharlal Nehru University at the five day festival that is scheduled to begin here from September 19.
Works by the 19th-century theatre-director and poet, considered to have pioneered modern drama with his realistic and critical approach has, like Shakespeare, been a favourite among theatre and film directors worldwide. "The Delhi Ibsen festival began in 2008, and was repeated in 2009 and 2010 and now after a gap of almost two years, the festival is back this year. The idea is to promote college theatre, giving them the required exposure to grow and prepare for the mainstream theatre," director, Ibsen festival, Nissar Allana told PTI. Since Ibsen's plays are already in the English (Hons) syllabus of both the universities, the festival is aimed at giving the students a chance to experiment, adds Allana. The event is a collaboration between the Dramatic Art and Design Academy (DADA) and the Royal Norwegian Embassy. "They are now looking at the subtext. There is no point in doing Ibsen like they did in the 60s and the 70s. The students are making it contemporary with their own life experiences," says Allana. The participating colleges include Lady Shri Ram College for Women, Maitreyi College, Ramjas College, St. Stephen's College and the School of Arts & Aesthetics, Jawaharlal Nehru University. In the previous edition Bollywood personality Ila Arun, adapted Ibsen's complex 1888 play "Lady from the Sea" with the help of Rajasthani's popular pictorial art form–Pabuji ki Phad. Titled Mareechika (Illusion), the story is narrated through balladeers, who use a Phad (a painted scroll). This time JNU's dramatic society, which is participating for the first time in the festival is focusing on documentation and experimenting with the very same play. Ramjas College is adapts the League of Youth by replacing a Norwegian town with a village from Uttar Pradesh. "An Enemy of People," "Burn" and "On the Contrary" are the other adaptations that are being staged by theatre groups from St Stephen's, LSR and Maitreyi, respectively. Succeeding the university Ibsen festival is the Delhi Ibsen Festival in November, which invites participation from across India. PTI ANS ANS