‘Bengaluru has the spirit of Broadway theatre’

Bengalureans do love a good show on stage, and that’s why the city is one of the top choices for traveling theatre troupes.
“Given the multicultural nature of the crowds in Bengaluru, there exists an openness towards all regional languages, akin to the spirit of Broadway theatre,” explains Charles, founder of Chennai Art Theatre. Susanto Banerjee, founder-director of Ventures Theatre adds, “Bengaluru is a cosmopolitan city where there is a trend of young people taking an interest in theatre. Logistically speaking, it’s always easier to take plays with smaller casts to other cities. As for the content, I don’t see too many political satires these days. Drama as a genre is seen a lot more apart from relationship or social issue-based stories that are gaining space.”
‘Regional language plays rock’
Regional scripts are the best choice for travelling shows. Says Charles, “When plays remain true to their origins, it works better. Such performances have the ability to connect with audiences, transcending language barriers. They offer a refreshing departure from conventional English storytelling, captivating spectators with their unique charm.”

What makes Bengaluru special for theatre?
Theatre spaces in Bengaluru are creatively rewarding and well-organized. In other cities, we are handicapped in terms of light availability, audio, and other technical constraints. Besides, the weather is always a plus in Bengaluru and ticket pricing has been affordable. We are starting to think in terms of portability when creating new productions. Our latest production Much Ado About Nothing has no sets and our upcoming production Hum Dono has just basic furniture.
— Preeta, Ank Theatre

The culture of theatre that the people here have built over the years makes Bengaluru a preferred choice for traveling theatre groups. We have a great infrastructure here and people who embrace art in any language with open arms. Most of the venues in Bengaluru have all facilities in-house which makes it easy for traveling groups since they don’t know local infrastructure support.
— Abhishek Iyengar, co-founder, We Move Theatre






Nature of audience: Bengaluru has people from mixed cultures who embrace art forms in any language with open arms.
Theatre spaces/facilities: Most theatre spaces in Bengaluru are well-equipped with all facilities available in-house, making it easy for traveling groups to perform.
Open to all kinds of theatre: Bengaluru crowd is more aware of theatre and so is open to all kinds of theatre–be it folk, contemporary, or kid’s plays.