A performing arts space for everyone

The Rangasthala auditorium below the MG Road Metro station encourages diversity in the performing arts

In the heart of Bengaluru, is a boulevard that stretches from Anil Kumble Circle to the Mahatma Gandhi Road Metro Station. Developed by the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (BMRCL), the Rangoli Metro Art Center has become a fixture in the arts and culture scene in the city.

“The goal was to set up a place that is inclusive of all groups of people,” says Balaji Margonda, an assistant curator at the Art Center. This has been extended to the Rangasthala auditorium, one of the two spaces for performing arts within the Art Center. “Not only plays, but we also stage a number of comedy shows, workshops, and dance performances,” he adds.

The indoor auditorium can seat up to 120 people and is fully equipped with facilities for sound and lighting. Owing to its location, the auditorium has quickly become a favourite among theatre and comedy groups in the city.

Theatre is seen as an alternative form of entertainment in Bengaluru, says Gaurav Nigam, founder of Indradhanush Theater. “People in the city often try to combine the experience of watching a show with dining outside or shopping. So the location is definitely a plus point.”

“I feel language plays a big role in the theatre scene here, says Prashant Jade of XpressionZ Productions. Theatres like Ranga Shankara might attract more Kannada-speakers, whereas Rangasthala’s cosmopolitan location might attract audiences for productions in other languages, such as Hindi,” he adds.

For newer groups like Chai High Productions, accessibility to the auditorium has also been vital. “Being conveniently placed near the metro station, the location played an important role in ensuring we had an audience for our play,” says Talin Subbaraya, director and playwright of ‘Halya.’ Unlike most theatre spaces, Rangasthala is more ‘intimate,’ with the stage only a foot away from the front row. While this is an advantage for some performances, others need to adapt to the auditorium’s set-up to work. “[Improv] is an audience-created art form that does not work as well on video. We need open spaces to interact with our audience,” says Saveen Hegde, member of the Indian Improv Tribe.

“The amphitheater-style seating can often hinder visibility, which forces us to innovate every time we perform,” says Mr Nigam. “Our actors often sit down and talk as if they are having a conversation with the audience, which in turn makes the audience actively participate in the production.”

From comedy to music and theatre to documentary screenings, the auditorium, now a hub for live performances, is booked nearly every weekend. Upcoming shows at Rangasthala include a Women’s Day special improv show by the Indian Improv Tribe, and ‘Shades of Love,’ an adaptation of author Ruskin Bond’s short stories.