CCC's Uchek Langmeidong - a taste of children theatre
Rajmani Ayekpam *
Though Manipuri theatre
is very rich in its theatrical
forms but children theatre in
Manipur is hardly visible.
Some form of the children
theatre may be witnessed
when there was children theatre
festival organized by
institution like Manipur State
Kala Academy, Imphal. If
there is no children theatre
festival in the state, there is
hardly seen any activity of
children theatre. But, theatre
personality like Dr Lamabam
Gojendra, Ningombam
Jadumani Singh took children
theatre as a serious
theatre genre.
Now-a-day, children theatre
is no more an
entertainment programme but
considered a part of education
in their curriculum. So,
National School of Drama
(NSD), New Delhi takes
children theatre seriously by
organizing National Children
Theatre Festival. Even, Science
and Technology
Department takes children
theatre seriously by organizing
National Level Science
One Act Play to promote
awareness of science through
children theatre.
To participate a children
theatre programme a children
can enhance his/her personality
and also able to learn
many aspect of society and
life which can't be provided
by formal school education
system. So, many develop
countries many theatre clubs
are established to educate
theatre at school and college
level. In our country also, the
importance theatre education
is recognizing day by day.
So, many children theatre
programmes are taken up.
Recently, Children Cultural
Centre (CCC), Manipur,
Keishamthong Hodam
Leirak, Imphal organized One
Month Children Theatre
Workshop-cum-Production
with the financial assistance
of Sangeet Natak Akademi,
New Delhi under the tutelage
of Dr Lamabam Gojendra, an
experience theatre director &
critic of the state. Dr
Gojendra opined that it's a
difficult task to organize one
month children theatre workshop-
cum-production against
the highly competitive education
system. Today's children
occupied their most of time
with homework given by
school and tuition. There is
hardly time for socialization
and other extra-curricular activities.
However, CCC organized
the month-long children theatre
workshop successfully
and produced a workshop
production play entitled
Uchek Langmeidong under
the project director Dr
Lamabam Gojendra. The
farewell programme with
performance of play was
done in the auditorium of
Manipur Dramatic Union,
Yaiskul, Imphal on 27th June,
2016 at 3.00 p.m.
The play Uchek
Langmeidong was written
and directed by Dr Lamabam
Gojendra. The cast & credits
of the play were – Thiyam
Lanleibi Chanu (child
Liklainu/Uchek Langmeidong),
Oinam Tabu (adult
Liklainu/Uchek Langmeidong),
Tokpam Henthoi
Khuman (Father),
Nameirakpam Chanu
Chingkheinganbi (Stepmother),
Sagolsem Miranda
(Mother/friend), Sorokhaibam
Liklaileima (adult friend),
Huidrom Sheiya (mother's
friend), Punshibal Lamabam
(young younger brother),
Lanchenba Lamabam (adult
younger brother), Maibam
Dimple & Thounaobam
Christina (young girl friends),
Maibam Preety (child/village
woman), Telem Yaipharel,
Laishram Virjit, Sagolsem
Bony & Saolgsem Narendra
(village friends (boy) etc. Off
stage – Phurailatpam Sharat
Sharma & Takhellambam
Rajen (stage),Takhellambam
Raghumani, Th. Nishikanta
(set & props), R.K.
Tombisana (sound), Ch-
Ringo, L. Lalit (Bobby) &
Lamabam Thanil (music),
Taorem Rajen (Inaocha),
Hijam Mangaleima, Laishram
Bhogen (make-up), Romi
Lamabam (costume),
Ramkrishna Lamabam (production
manager), L.
Sanatomba, Japan & K.
Chittaranjan (documentation),
Consultant/Resource person –
Dr Yumnam Sadananda
(Bobby), Director, Kanglei
Mime Theatre Repertory
(KMTR), Imphal,
Heirangkhongjam Bidylaxmi,
Dance Guru & Takhellambam
Dinamani, Music Guru etc.
Acknowledgement – Manipur
Dramatic Union, Imphal,
Kanglei Mime Theatre Repertory.
The story of Uchek
Langmeidong is very popular
and interesting. How ill treatment
of step mother
transformed a young girl into
Uchek Langmeidong
(Hornbill). In Manipuri lore,
cruelty and ill treatment were
very popular when it builds
up a character of a step
mother.
On the other hand,
some simple but bold characters
supported the protagonist
of the story. When the denouement
comes at, the
protagonist character took
unnatural thing and transformed
into a bird. The
protagonist character/Uchek
Langmeidong revenged her
step mother when she defecated
on her step mother's
throat. Such type of story is
loved by children. The project
director wisely choosed the
story for children theatre.
It's interesting the play
began with rare children
games forgotten by this day
modern children. The play
attempted to remind some of
the children games forgotten
by many. Then, the story of
Uchek Langmeidong comes
in. Here, one interesting thing
is the name Langmeidong is
synonymous with a place
named Langmeidong.
The production style of the
play was ease with participant
children. Simple but
exotic make-up and costume
design can attract the attention
of the audience. Overall
performance of the play was
commendable one as a children
theatre.
* Rajmani Ayekpam wrote this article for The Sangai Express
This article was posted on July 24, 2016.
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