The International Theatre Festival of Kerala was inaugurated in 2008. The event was initiated by Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi (a cultural organization responsible for fostering and developing dance, music, drama and other performing arts in the state of Kerala) and supported by the Cultural Department of the government of Kerala. The festival’s first director was Murali, a well-known Indian actor of stage and screen who mainly appeared in Malayalam films.
Since its inception, the International Theatre Festival of Kerala has grown to become one of India’s largest and most important theatre festivals. The festival focuses on independent and experimental theatre, it features contemporary, experimental and independent theatre groups from all over the world. The Kerala Theatre Festival has welcomed participants from India, China, Iran, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Kenya, South Africa, Mexico, Cuba, Bolivia, Japan, the UK, and many other countries.
The festival runs over eight days. Its main venue is G. Sankara Pillai Cultural Complex, a cultural center in Thrissur that has a total of 11 stages, a convertible stage, a rehearsal hall, and a media center. The main stages of the festival are Murali Outdoor Theatre and K. T. Muhammed Regional Theatre. The program of the International Theatre Festival is a fusion of modern experimental productions and the traditional theatre of Kerala.
Alongside theatrical productions from all over the world, the festival program includes seminars and workshops conducted by respected theatre professionals, exhibitions, film screenings, and other effect. Interactive sessions featuring directors, actors and other theatre professionals help performers from around the world exchange experience and better understand the diversity of the art of theatre, as well as learn more about different approaches to theatre, largely based on the cultural differences of various nations.
Фото: theatrefestivalkerala.com
