Natmandal
| Formation | 1949 |
|---|---|
| Type | Theatre group |
| Purpose | Gujarati theatre |
| Location |
|
Natya Vidya Mandir,a theatre school, and its amateur theatre troupeNatmandalfromAhmedabad,Gujarat,India had heavily influenced newGujarati theatre.Established in 1949, it trained many theatre people and produced classic, modern and experimental plays in its twenty years of existence.
History
[edit]In 1948, at the centenary celebration ofGujarat Vidhya Sabha,a literary institute, politicianGanesh Vasudev Mavalankarand writerRasiklal Parikhproposed a school for theatre training in Gujarat. Gujarati theatre actor-directorJaishankar Sundariwas appointed to lead the school.[1][2][3]Natya Vidya Mandir was established in 1949 and was the first such theatre school of India. The school formed an amateur theatre troupe Natmandal in 1951–52.[1][2][4][3][5]It operated from the old Premabhai Hall inBhadraarea ofAhmedabadwhere performances as well as training were held.[1]
Natmandal heavily influenced the new Gujarati theatre with its experiments and academic activities. It trained and encouraged many actors, directors, playwrights and set designers as well as audiences. Their students includeJashwant Thaker,Deena Gandhi,Pransukh Nayak,Kailash Pandya, Dhananjay Thaker, Prabha Pathak and Arvind Pathak.[1]
Natmandal remained active for twenty years.[1][6]
Selected productions
[edit]The school-cum-troupe produced many classic, modern as well as experimental plays over the years including:[1][6]
- Sanskrit classics:
- Gujarati plays:
- Ramanbhai Neelkanth'sRaino Parvat
- Rasiklal Parikh'sMena Gurjari
- Dalpatram'sMithyabhiman
- Bengali plays:
- Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay'sVijayaandBirajbahu
- Rabindranath Tagore'sChitrangadaandMuktadhara
- Henrik Ibsen'sA Doll's HouseandAn Enemy of the People
References
[edit]- ^abcdefBaradi, Hasmukh(2004). Lal, Ananda (ed.).The Oxford Companion to Indian Theatre.Oxford UniversityPress.doi:10.1093/acref/9780195644463.001.0001.ISBN9780195644463– via Oxford Reference.
- ^abGaragi, Balwant (1962).Theatre in India.Theatre Arts Books. p. 132.
- ^abHansen, Kathryn (1 December 2013).Stages of Life: Indian Theatre Autobiographies.Anthem Press. p. 342.ISBN978-1-78308-098-4.
- ^George, K. M. (1997).Masterpieces of Indian Literature: Assamese, Bengali, English, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani & Malayalam.New Delhi: National Book Trust. p. 360.ISBN978-81-237-1978-8.
- ^The Illustrated Weekly of India.Vol. 81. Published for the proprietors, Bennett, Coleman & Company, Limited, at the Times of India Press (published January 1960). 1960. p. 33.
- ^abLeiter, Samuel L. (2007).Encyclopedia of Asian Theatre: O-Z.Greenwood Press. p. 746.ISBN978-0-313-33531-0.