State theatre groups make cut for book
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, June 13 2012: A book focusing on post World War-II production of ancient Greek tragedy 'Antigone' in several countries has incorporated two plays staged by different theatre groups of Manipur.

Christened 'Antigone on the Contemporary World Stage', the book is edited by Erin B.Mee, Assistant Professor, Swarthmore College, and Helene P.Foley, Professor of Classics, Barnard College, Columbia University.

The Oxford University Press publication book discusses the play produced in Argentina, Canada, Congo, Egypt, Finland, Georgia, Greece, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Poland, Syria, Taiwan, Turkey and the United States.

For India, the book focuses on two Manipur theatre groups' plays � a 1995 production of Anouilh's version directed by Nongthombam Premchand and a 2004 production of Sophocles's Antigone directed by Kshetrimayum Jugindro Singh popularly known as Kshetri Jugindro.

The book said " in these productions Antigone is about the conflict between regional autonomy and National stability.

These productions have been used to articulate, celebrate, and perform 'Manipuri' culture and to establish a regional identity in contradiction to the National identity and culture imposed on Manipur's citizens by the Indian Government.

"As such, they respond to the interwined problems of political and cultural oppression, and they simultaneously mount a cultural and political resistance to the National Government," said the book which was released in July last year.

The book whose cover page illustrates a face off scene (between Creon and Antigone) in Premchand's Manipuri production of Antigone said productions of Antigone in Imphal are often seen in light of the many political protests staged by Antigone-like women in Manipur.

In Jugindro's production, the first scene shows the battle between Eteocles and Polyneices and according to the book the choreography came directly from the martial art 'thang-ta' which means the art of sword and the spear.

It said in Manipur, director Ratan Thiyam was one of the first to incorporate thang-ta exercises into his basic training, and to use the exercises as the basis for fight choreography in battle scenes.

" Thiyam and Jugindro both use thang-ta exercises because they teach control over the flow of energy in the body, coordination of inner and outer awareness, activation and coordination of all body parts , focus and concentration, opposition of the body, and kinesthetic response" .

Jugindro (54), who got his diploma from the National School of Drama (NSD) in 1986, has so far produced over 20 plays, said that his production (Antigone) was staged five times � one each in Nagaon in Assam and New Delhi and rest three in Imphal.

"I'm deeply inspired by the book as it gives concrete ideas towards what I think.

I will re-stage the play in the near future and I'll try to show it abroad too," said Jugindro, a resident of Singjamei Kshetri Leikai.

"There will be a time for restructuring the modern society by hundreds of Antigone-like sisters whose brothers were eliminated by the so called draconian laws.

This concept is reflected in my 80-minute play," he said.

Comment