Abstract EN:

Performing arts are an integral part of Malayalee culture and malayalee identity. Nearly all of the existing study is focused on classical and folk forms, such as Kathakali and Theyyam, however there is a serious gap in our understanding of contemporary theater in Kerala. Contemporary theater can be thought as a kind of "hybrid cultural product", existing between traditional and modern forms; it refers both to the Natyashastra, as well as the modern contributions of figures such as Grotowski and Stanislavski. This research aims to trace new theatrical practices and scenographic techniques that have developed from the interplay of local "native" theater and contemporary performance aesthetics. To get an overview of contemporary malayalee productions, the fieldwork examined several theatre groups, by way of participatory observation, including: Lokadharmi in Cochin, Sopanam and Abhinaya in Trivandrum, and the Thrissur School of Drama. The differences in the motivations of these groups (regarding issues such as caste, class and gender) illustrate new paradigms that are at the core of local discourse on culture. Is there an invention of tradition? In this vein, we examine the dynamism of local cultural production and consumption. Since the way one moves can inscribe one's identity, we have to examine the elaboration of a body language. The body will be questioned, first, as the simple body of the performer. The extensive video and photographic work, while serving to document the production of the theatre groups, also became the source of some participatory experimentation. For example, the video projects allowed the performers to experiment with their own image and, in turn, integrate these creations into the scenographic design. The reflexive use of image taking made for a unique exchange of ideas between observer and performer.