Cultivating theatre’s roots

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THERE’S A LOT to be said about the person who doesn’t say it himself. Theatre director Chidambara Rao Jambe blushes everytime his startling contribution to the saga of stage is mentioned. A man, who carries forward the legacy of theatre legends such as B.V. Karanth and Prasanna, surely knows the gentle art of enhancing his charm by being modest.
Passion in his voice is infectious when Jambe talks about “rangkrishi”, his dream concept of integrating theatre with agricultural lifestyle. “Theatre should not trickle down from the top of the pyramid, but should blossom from the roots. For us, our villages are our roots. It is criminal to showcase the luxury of elite theatre in a small kasbah or village with an extremely low average daily household income. The only theatre that can be possible in such circumstance is the one that allows room for symbiotic relationship with agriculture, and rangkrishi would do just that. Another interpretation of rangkrishi is the practice of cultivating the culture of theatre,” says the man who chose theatre as his medium to address concerns of his society.
Apart from his phenomenal productions, Jambe is known for his training skills. Many contemporary theatre activists, especially from Karnataka, have honed their skills under his guidance. He was the principal of Ninasam Theatre Institute at Heggodu in Karnataka’s Shimoga district for 22 years. Ninasam, the brainchild of renowned dramatist and Magsaysay award-winner K.V. Subbanna, is known for its theatre school workshop facilities, repertory and film society.
Jambe also headed Rangayana, a cultural centre started by the Karnataka government in 1989 in Mysore. This organisation of national repute consists of a professional repertory company, a theatre-training institute and a documentation and research centre.
Jambe feels that the quality of theatre education in India must spiral upwards for sustainable development of this performing art. The National School of Drama alumnus believes in decentralisation of theatre education. He advocates the need to scientifically restructure the training by dividing it into two stages, beginning with regional and culminating into central. His idea is to begin at home. For Jambe, cognisance of regional flavour is the first criterion of being eligible for further training.
“Creation of more regional centres and repertories is required for basic-level theatre courses. A student should leap forward to the central spectrum only after having imbibed the regional craft,” says the veteran.
He has come up with a unique concept of a three-year mobile course for drama students. The inherent aim is to break free from the boundaries of the classroom-confined educational system. ‘’In this course, students will travel to culturally and traditionally different locations over a certain period of the time. They will get a holistic view of the culture, craft and tradition of the place visited, and compose a production in that region’s grammar.’’
Jambe gives absolute importance to the context of his plays rather than the craft. He has adapted works of Kalidasa, Tagore, Samsa, G.B. Joshi, Ananthamurthy, P. Lankesh, Girish Karnad, Chandrashekhar Kambar, Chekov, Brecht, Ibsen, Shakespere, Molière, Gorky, Lorka, Mohan Rakesh, Vijay Tendulkar and others for stage.
He has directed the Kannada versions of all-time favourites such as Ashad ka ik Din, Adhe Adhure, Janshatru, Tamprapatra, Raktkarbi, Abhigyan Shakuntalam, Mudrarakshas, Charandas Chor, Cherry Ka Bagicha, Uncle Vanya, Lower Depth, Three Sisters, King Lear, The Merchant of Venice, The Shoemaker’s Wonderful Wife, The Power of Darkness etc.
Jambe raises concern over the lack of communication among groups following diverse forms. “Without sharing, no form of art can flourish. Even at festivals, most of the performing groups concentrate only on their productions rather than on interactions. We need synergy among all the folk and contemporary forms for further enrichment of our theatrical wealth,’’ said Jambe, emphasising collaboration over competition.
The canvas of Jambe’s life displays multiple shades of creative colours. He debuted as a female character on stage tossing aside the real-life role of a passionate viewer. School-time interest in theatre led him to the Yakshgana Kendra, Udupi, for formal training in Yakshgana tradition. It is a popular folk theatre form of Karnataka with a history of nearly 400 years. Yakshgana synchronises with musical tradition, colourful costumes and traditional styles of dance, improvised gestures and extemporaneous dialogue.
The broad extent of his work is evident from the variety of people he has worked with. He has organised workshops for children, village folks, fishing communities and people of tribal belts.
The flame surprises for many reasons — that it burns against a thunderstorm is the least of them; as the book of hardship, adversities, dedications and diligence unfolds, what surprises the most is the smile which is retained by the flame in all its innocence. Jambe, as he continues to give wings to the fire of many at the ground level, sure has a long way to go.