City's biggest theatre fest draws 300 performers

AHMEDABAD: Unfolding in an urban drawing room, the protagonist takes refuge behind his easel and paints, as other actors play a game of bridge. Filled with dark humour, 'Collaborator' by Sahbdakaar, a theatre group from Mumbai, was the opening play at the Ahmedabad Theatre Festival 2012 (ATF 2012).
"We chose this script by Ramu Ramanathan which reflects an urban life that has stopped questioning society." said director Rasika Agashe.Being conducted for the first time, ATF reiterates the belief of the organizers, Budhan Theatre - 'Theatre alone cannot change the world, but it definitely has the power to initiate change.'
However, the idea is to not only convey social messages but also expose Ahmedabad to experimental theatre. Thus there are plays in Hindi, English, Marathi, Bangla, Bhojpuri, Illahabadi and Gujarati, with around 300 theatre and folk artists participating from all over India.
"This is a gift from us, Charras, to the city, which for 14 years has being seeing and encouraging our plays," said Daksin Chharra, a member of the Budhan group. "Used as an agent for social and political expression, theatre has changed the stigmatized identity of our Chhara community. So, now it is our turn to give back to the field of theatre through ATF."
He added that the festival has not been limited to auditoriums alone but has been extended to various communities of Ahmedabad.
Excited about the festival are also the art students, who thronged the venue. "This is the first time that such a theatre festival has been organized in the state," said Bansari Shah, an art student from the city. "I am able to see plays from Surat, Mumbai, Pune and other parts of the country which was not possible otherwise."