An article in The Hindu Metroplus on Vandichodai
18th July, 2016.
"Forging new paths"– Akila Kannadasan
Vandichodai is a Tamil word that denotes cart tracks on a mud road. In the context of The Hindu Theatre Fest 2016, It holds a deeper meaning – that of a new path forged into unchanted territory. For the first time since its inception in 2005, the festival features three Tamil plays.
The is being held from August 19 to 21 and August 26 to 28, the latter resrved for Aayirothiyoru iravukal by THEeatre Zero, Mundhirikkotte, by Guduguduppukkari, and Vandichodai by Koothu-p- pattarai.
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Tamil theatre is as old and as powerful as the language itself. From the touring drama companies that tell daramatic stories from our epics in village squares to the avant- garde productions of the likes of Na.Muthuswamy, the horizon of Tamil theatre is constantly expanding. The Hindu Theatre Fest 2016 seeks to capture this essence – that of change and diversity.
Veteran playwright Na.Muthuswamy feels that serious Tamil theatre with good story telling has always had a small audience..”The situation is still the same.”he adds.
Isn’t it a good sign that they are now part of one of the biggest festivals for theatre in the country? “Yes, the change good.” Observes the 80 year old.
Koothu-p-pattarai, the theatre group Muthuswamy founded, presents “VANDICHODAI” for lovers of stylized, abstract productions that questions our understanding of society. The play is staged for the first time since Muthuswamy wrote it in 1968. It is being directed by Litterateur R.P.Rajanayahem.
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Vandichodai
Synopsis prepared by R.P.Rajanayahem
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Vandichodai is an alchemical play written by N.Muthuswamy. Vandichodai means “The path of Bullock cart”It is a nonfigurative play from the beginning to end. Every step of this play shows much poetic qualities and precisely Vandichodai is frozen music. The playwright N.Muthusamy is successfully preserving its complexity, liveliness and dynamism. The spectators will find this play an open experimental laboratory with its beautiful, mystic imageries.
The play opens with two strangers in front of a tree. The first dialogue of the play is “You got what I said, ‘The play has begun!’ “ So the viewers can very easily understand this is an atypical, unusual play. One of them climbs the tree and stays there.
A newcomer joins with the man standing under the tree. He claims that his age is above hundred. The man under the tree says that he also is above hundred.
Their chatting centers around antique medicinal healing studies. Traditionally, the guru always conceals some medicinal secrets and he doesn’t teach what all he knows to his students. Thus medical lessons are shortened and reduced as time passes by.
The man on the tree is a shepherd. These two men want him to go to his wife to give birth to many workers for this society. Manual workers don’t have any specific qualities generations after generations and they are born to work for ever. Soldiers for battles, workers to pull the temple car and party cadres.
Metamorphosis also takes place! The shepherd reveals that he was once a lamb and was transformed into a human being. Fantasy always plays a role throughout the play.
The author insists that all these laborers have no different faces but a similar face throughout history. Whether they are tar road workers or electrical workers, they don’t differ in any way. They are unaware of cultural identity.It is a game in order to survive.There are elements that are relevant to any local situation in which one man is being exploited or oppressed by another.
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Set and lighting will be done by shri M. Natesh
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