JOIN USStreet plays are an effective medium because of its communication skills as against theatre. They can pass on a strong message to people, in a simpler but more effective way, opined theatreperson Jagan Pawar Bekal.
He was speaking as the resource person at the UGC sponsored State-level workshop on ‘Swami Vivekananda’s ideologies and street plays to propagate social issues’ at St Agnes College in Mangalore on Wednesday.
Bekal further said that a street play can be performed with minimum requirements and can convey maximum details.
In theatre, there is fixed audience while in street play there are moving audience.
Street plays can be used as a medium of protest as well as a medium of awareness, he said and added that awareness on social evils such as child abuse, drug trafficking, dowry, women empowerment and child marriage can be well created through street plays.
“The qualities of observation, absorption, imagination and imitation are must for the actors of street plays. Emotional Quotient and Intelligence Quotient are must for actors while performing the plays. Also, the actors must be committed to society.”
Jagan said that local issues can be addressed through street plays.
Speaking on the history of street plays, he said the first street play was performed at Mosco in Russia in 1918. During 1968, the street plays were introduced in Karnataka.
During 1970s, street plays were popularised by Ramachandra Rao and B V Kakkillaya, he said. Participants of the workshop were trained in acting for street plays.