Chronicling a historical tale in a distinctly Elizabethan style, Kerala Arts and Nataka Academy (KANA), Kuwait, staged its maiden production 'Abraham' at the Boy Scouts Theatre, Hawally, on November 16 and 17. The play, whose length exceeded two hours, was presented in three shows. The performance, which was staged in a larger-than-life size canvas with powerful characters against imposing stage settings, was received with enthusiasm by theatre aficionados.

"It was a huge challenge for us to stage a drama of this scale in Kuwait. We could manage this thanks to the veteran stage designer Sujathan Master," said Babu Chakola, the director who also played the lead character in the play.

As the director puts it, the most fascinating aspect of the drama was the effects of the set design such as the Tower of Babel-a myth meant to explain why the world's peoples speak different languages-a warhorse racing across a battlefield, majestic palaces, and the vast expanse of desert lands through which pilgrims march towards their promised land. The scenographic interventions were truly able to add to the epic quality of the performance without reducing it to a mere spectacle.

Ambitious set design

"In fact, for a Kuwait production, it was quite an ambitious task on our part to use 21 curtains and four sets for the play, because it involved a lot of risks. However, we managed it," observed Artist Sujathan after Friday's show. Sujathan, who spent more than 15 days in the theatre camp working on sets and curtains, was instrumental in the success of the stage design. As a veteran theater artist, Sujathan has witnessed the ups and downs of Malayalam theater over the last 50 years, working with top-notch professional drama troupes for thousands of plays in Kerala.

Not one to hide his preference for realistic theater, Sujathan said, "Over the years, the theatre has been drifting away from people owing to many reasons, the onslaught of technology, the growing clout of cinema or television, etc. Dialogue-based plays of the yesteryear have given way for more visual-oriented dramas of today. The emerging trend of experimentation has also weaned away the audience from theatre that has lost its old charm as an art form of the masses. Fortunately, there are some serious efforts in Kerala today at various levels to restore the old glory to Malayalam theatre."

He applauded theatre activists in the Gulf region, who, according to him, are more committed and dedicated to the art form than their counterparts in Kerala. "It is really commendable the efforts being made by amateur troupes such as KANA Kuwait in producing plays in the region despite several odds," he added. When asked about mediatic interventions in scenography, he quipped that the use of media must enhance theatre and add to its totality rather than reduce it to a mere gimmick.

Innovative lighting

Chirakkal Raju, the artist who came from India to do the stage lighting, not only merely illuminated the stage but aesthetically enhanced both the external setting of the drama and its inner life. He stayed in the rehearsal camp for nearly a month. Veteran musician Manoj Mavelikkara provided background music for the drama enriching the mood for situations.

Penned by well-known playwright Francis T Mavelikkara, the drama unravels how Abraham answered the calls of God creatively and emotionally. As the director of the play, Chakola has undertaken a single-minded effort to bring a mythical story onto the stage with all its colossal dimension, the exodus of people, consequent wars and the poignancy of life.

"Around 55 artists both on stage and off stage were involved in the production of 'Abraham'. The successful production is the outcome of nearly six months of our labor," Chakola said. As the protagonist, he played Abraham dexterously depicting the trials and tribulations of the character. Kumar Thrithala, the associate director, played both his roles well. Manju Mathew, who is also the assistant director and played as Abram's wife Sarah (Sarai) did justice to her role, while Deena, Sarai's maid Hagar, lived up to her character.

The lyrics written by Rajeev Alunkal were composed by Fr James Vennaippallil and Seby Nayarambalam. If the audiences can be seen as a barometer for public opinion about the play, they overwhelmingly cheered the actors with their frequent applause throughout the performance. Shajahan Kodungalloor, Aji Paravoor, Dr Abraham Thomas, Dennis Tharakan, Regi Mathew, Davis Valooran, George Punnoose, Gopakumar, Shiju Paulose, Raju Joseph, Jaison Palakkad, Davis Tharakan, Edwin Babu, Arun Nagamandalam, Sheeja Davis, Axa Edwin, Jancy Jiju, Shailaja Gopakumar, Master Pranavkumar and David Chakola were among the other artists who acted in the drama.

By Sajeev K Peter