Out of strife comes rhythms, colours and music of hope

India's world renowned cultural troupe Ratan Thiyam's Chorus Repertory Theatre, will grace the Colombo stage on Wednesday, January 30, at the Bishop's College auditorium at 7 p.m. The event is being organized by the Neelan Tiruchelvam Trust, International Centre for Ethnic Studies, Law and Society Trust, Tiruchelvam Associates and the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) in connection with the 64th birth anniversary celebrations of Dr. Neelan Tiruchelvam.

Ratan Thiyam's works combine rhythm, music, poetry, light, speech and colour. The works draw on epic themes, historic figures and mythology to explore issues of personal responsibility, cognizance, good, evil and politicians in the unsettled region of Thiyam's native Imphal, capital city of the remote, northeast hill state of Manipur, India.

Manipur has ethnic, linguistic and religious differences and these differences have often resulted in violence. The strife and uncertainty of his native region have had a deep influence on Thiyam-themes of non-violence, which have been central to many of his works. His theatre typically reflects a quest for enlightenment, reconciliation and peace by examining the human condition, through an exploration of war and power.

The play to be staged in Colombo titled "My Earth, My Love" is a complex weaving together of episodes of violence and destruction in human history across time and space to illumine a concern for peace. "The script is really my mind. So what you see on stage is what I experience in life and also think of the world around," Thiyam said at the premiere of this play at a recent festival. The play explores the different aspects of civilization and tries to answer the question: has the human race truly been civilized?

It also reaffirms the point that the real victims of war and terrorism are women, children, the aged and invalids. Writer, director, composer, designer, painter and actor Ratan Thiyam is considered one of the most important and influential dramatists on the international performance scene.

Thiyam studied painting before turning to writing. He has written short stories, novels, poetry and plays and directed more than 50 plays, original scripts as well as adaptations. Ratan Thiyam's many awards include the Sangeet Natak Akademi in 1987; Nandikar in 1992; La Grande Medaille (Paris) 1997; International Man of the Year, 1998-99 in the field of Theatre and Humanism, conferred by the International Biographical Centre, Cambridge.

Tickets for the show will be available from January 17th at ICES, Lalitha, Rithihi and Bishop's College Auditorium.