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Manipur theatre artists enthrall Delhi

Various theatre lovers in Delhi had a special treat from north-east India, recently as they attended a Manipuri play here.

New Delhi, Dec 30: Various theatre lovers in Delhi had a special treat from north-east India, recently as they attended a Manipuri play here. The play “When we dead awaken” was staged by Ratan Thiyam, the noted Manipuri playwright and theatre director during the Delhi Ibsen Festival organized by Royal Norwegian Embassy in collaboration with Dramatic Art and Design academy.
In 1899, Henrik Ibsen wrote a play "When we dead awaken", which is about the celebrated sculptor Arnold Rubek and his wife Maia. The play reflected an intense desire for life. The festival offered a platform to theatre artists for showcasing their talent. R. Bhogen, one theatre artist, said: “We encourage those who are interested in joining theatre. Everyone is welcome. Be it a Tangkhul, Kuki or Meitei, if they are interested, we will train them." Ratan Thiyam, the theatre Director on this occasion, said: “We are very lucky that we have many of the very good actors, senior actors are training them. Nowadays we are trying to promote the young actors." Thiyam, who staged the play in Manipuri, has been a National School of Drama graduate. He is a multi-faceted artist. His theatre productions have gained recognition not just in India but also across the world. For the audience, it was a special treat to witness such a production. Dr Ranjana Devi, one among the audience, said: "We should also encourage our youths to appreciate such kind of play. We are really proud from the remote part of the country, this renowned artist Ratan Thiyam, we are really proud of him." Mahesh, another audience, said: “They get a platform to express themselves. Normally, they are just doing out there, they don`t have much exposure, coming here and showing it, they get a wider audience." Apart from Delhi, the artistes have performed various plays in other parts of the country. Manipur has a rich tradition of theatre, which has been used to express and create awareness in the society. ANI