International workshop on scenic, costume design held at MSU

Vadodara: Fifty-odd undergraduate and postgraduate students from the dramatics department of MS University's Faculty of Performing Arts underwent training in scenic and costume design from renowned Australia-based theatre practitioner Professor Peter Cook AM. The training was imparted through a dramatic production of Bertolt Brecht's celebrated play "The Threepenny Opera", as part of a special international workshop organized recently by the department. Professor Cook spoke on the intricacies of design to students and demonstrated various in-depth techniques involved in the design process. Students learned about global approaches and methodologies used in scenic and costume design for theatre. Through the workshop, students gained insightful understanding — both theoretical and practical — of how scenic visuals and costumes contribute to enhancing and effectively conveying the narrative of a play. "In theatre, the stage setting and character costumes are not merely tools to enhance beauty — they are essential elements to express the play's ideas, location, period, characters' internal states and socio-cultural contexts," said associate professor Darshan Purohit. "These design components draw the audience into the characters' world and enrich the emotional depth of the play. It is crucial for students to understand that accurate scenic design and costume design bring the visual presence of a play to life, adding aesthetic appeal and vitality to the presentation," said Purohit, coordinator of the workshop, which was organized by a team that included faculty dean Professor Gaurang Bhavsar, associate professor and head of department Professor Rakesh Modi, with Dr Trilok Singh Mehra as convener.