Marathi theatre is theatre in the Marathi language, mostly originating or based in the state of Maharashtra in India, and elsewhere with Marathidiaspora. Starting in the middle of the 19th century, it flourished in the 1950s and 1960s. Today, it continues to have a marked presence in the State of Maharashtra with a loyal audience base, when most theatre in other parts of India have had tough time facing the onslaught of cinema and television. Its repertoire ranges from humorous social plays, farces, historical plays, musical, to experimental plays and serious drama of the 1970s onwards, by Vijay Tendulkar, P. L. Deshpande, Mahesh Elkunchwar and Satish Alekar, which have influenced theatre throughout India.[1] In the post-independence era, Bengali theatre, and Marathi theatre have been at the forefront of innovations and significant dramaturgy in Indian theatre.[2][3]
The region of Maharashtra, has had long theatrical tradition, one of the early references is found in the cave inscriptions at Nashik by Gautami Balashri, the mother of 1st-century Satavahana ruler, Gautamiputra Satakarni. The inscription mention him organizing Utsava and Samaja forms of theatrical entertainment for his subjects.[4]
There are sources mentioning plays from 17th-century like Lakshmaikalyanam, and Ganga-Kaveri Samvad, in the Marathi-language staged for the Bhosale ruler of Tanjore in present-day Tamil Nadu state. However, these were plays performed in the royal court.[5][6]
British colonial period
The first public performance of a stage play in Marathi was Sita Swayamvar (Marriage of Sita) by Vishnudas Bhave, based on a popular episode of the epic Ramayana. Staged in 1843 in Sangli, with ruler of the princely state of Sangli in audience, it was an experimental play, based on folk theatre form called Yakshagana from the neighbouring Karnataka region. After the success of his play, he staged many more plays about other episodes of Ramayana. His plays were largely influenced by the Shakespearean and Parsi theatres. Bhave went on to form a travelling theatre troupe.[7][8] The coming decades saw notable plays like Jhansichya Raniche Naatak (1870), Sawai Madhavravancha Mrutyu (1871), AfjhalKhanachya Mrutyuche Naatak (1871) and Malharrav Maharaj (1875). However, Marathi stage took a distinct theatre form with the musical Shakuntal by Annasaheb Kirloskar in 1880,based on a classical work, Abhijnanasakuntalam by Kalidasa.The success of his theatre company, Kirloskar Natya Mandali paved way for commercial repertories in Marathi theatre, and subsequently the formation of Natak Companies.[9]
In the second half of the 20th century, some theatre practitioners have incorporated the traditional forms like tamasha and dashavatar into their plays. In the 1970s, the tamasha form was employed as narrative device and style in several notable plays like Ghashiram Kotwal by Vijay Tendulkar, Vijaya Mehta's Marathi adaptations of Bertolt Brecht's The Good Woman of Setzuan as Devajine Karuna Keli (1972) and Caucasian Chalk Circle as Ajab Nyaya Vartulacha (1974), P. L. Deshpande's Teen paishacha Tamasha (1978), an adaptation of Brecht's The Threepenny Opera.[3] Mehta also adapted and Ionesco with Chairs.[10][11] Varyavarchi Varat" the most famous and comedy play written by "Pu.la.Deshpande" and also this play is still in theaters with new cast & crew . Although the characters created by Pu.La. were fictional many people still relate to them.
Marathi Rangabhoomi Din
5 November is Celebrated as "Marathi Rangabhoomi Din".
^ abDon Rubin; Chua Soo Pong; Ravi Chaturvedi; Ramendu Majundar; Minoru Tanokura (2001). The World Encyclopedia of Contemporary Theatre: Asia/Pacific. Taylor & Francis. p. 155. ISBN978-0-415-26087-9.
^Peterson, Indira Viswanathan (30 September 2011). "Multilingual Dramas at the Tanjavur Maratha Court and Literary Cultures in Early Modern South India". The Medieval History Journal. 14 (2): 285–321. doi:10.1177/097194581101400207. S2CID 162845441.
^"multilingual dance dramas in Tanjore courts". nias.
Stanley Hochman (1984). McGraw-Hill encyclopedia of world drama (Vol. 3). VNR AG. ISBN0-07-079169-4.
Manohar Laxman Varadpande (1992). History of Indian Theatre. Abhinav Publications. ISBN978-81-7017-278-9.
Don Rubin (1998). The World Encyclopedia of Contemporary Theatre: Asia. Taylor & Francis. ISBN0-415-05933-X.
Amaresh Datta (2006). The Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature (Vol. 2). Sahitya Akademi. ISBN81-260-1194-7.
Gabrielle H. Cody; Evert Sprinchorn (2007). The Columbia encyclopedia of Modern Drama, (Vol. 1). Columbia University Press. ISBN978-0-231-14422-3.
Aparna Bhargava Dharwadker (2009). Theatres of Independence: Drama, Theory, and Urban Performance in India Since 1947. University of Iowa Press. ISBN978-1-58729-642-0.
External links
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April 08, 2023
marathi, theatre, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, february,. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Marathi theatre news newspapers books scholar JSTOR February 2016 Learn how and when to remove this template message Marathi theatre is theatre in the Marathi language mostly originating or based in the state of Maharashtra in India and elsewhere with Marathi diaspora Starting in the middle of the 19th century it flourished in the 1950s and 1960s Today it continues to have a marked presence in the State of Maharashtra with a loyal audience base when most theatre in other parts of India have had tough time facing the onslaught of cinema and television Its repertoire ranges from humorous social plays farces historical plays musical to experimental plays and serious drama of the 1970s onwards by Vijay Tendulkar P L Deshpande Mahesh Elkunchwar and Satish Alekar which have influenced theatre throughout India 1 In the post independence era Bengali theatre and Marathi theatre have been at the forefront of innovations and significant dramaturgy in Indian theatre 2 3 A Marathi theatrical group Mumbai 1870 Contents 1 History 1 1 Ancient and medieval period 1 2 British colonial period 1 3 Post independence period 2 Marathi Rangabhoomi Din 3 See also 4 Bibliography 5 Notes 6 References 7 External linksHistory EditAncient and medieval period Edit The region of Maharashtra has had long theatrical tradition one of the early references is found in the cave inscriptions at Nashik by Gautami Balashri the mother of 1st century Satavahana ruler Gautamiputra Satakarni The inscription mention him organizing Utsava and Samaja forms of theatrical entertainment for his subjects 4 There are sources mentioning plays from 17th century like Lakshmaikalyanam and Ganga Kaveri Samvad in the Marathi language staged for the Bhosale ruler of Tanjore in present day Tamil Nadu state However these were plays performed in the royal court 5 6 British colonial period Edit The first public performance of a stage play in Marathi was Sita Swayamvar Marriage of Sita by Vishnudas Bhave based on a popular episode of the epic Ramayana Staged in 1843 in Sangli with ruler of the princely state of Sangli in audience it was an experimental play based on folk theatre form called Yakshagana from the neighbouring Karnataka region After the success of his play he staged many more plays about other episodes of Ramayana His plays were largely influenced by the Shakespearean and Parsi theatres Bhave went on to form a travelling theatre troupe 7 8 The coming decades saw notable plays like Jhansichya Raniche Naatak 1870 Sawai Madhavravancha Mrutyu 1871 AfjhalKhanachya Mrutyuche Naatak 1871 and Malharrav Maharaj 1875 However Marathi stage took a distinct theatre form with the musical Shakuntal by Annasaheb Kirloskar in 1880 based on a classical work Abhijnanasakuntalam by Kalidasa The success of his theatre company Kirloskar Natya Mandali paved way for commercial repertories in Marathi theatre and subsequently the formation of Natak Companies 9 The early period of Marathi theatre was dominated by playwrights like Kolhatkar Krushnaji Prabhakar Khadilkar Govind Ballal Deval Ram Ganesh Gadkari and Annasaheb Kirloskar who enriched the Marathi theatre for about half a century with excellent musical plays known as Sangeet Natak The genre of music used in such plays is known as Natya Sangeet It is during this era of the Marathi theatre that great singer actors like Bal Gandharva Keshavrao Bhole Bhaurao Kolhatkar and Deenanath Mangeshkar thrived Post independence period Edit In the second half of the 20th century some theatre practitioners have incorporated the traditional forms like tamasha and dashavatar into their plays In the 1970s the tamasha form was employed as narrative device and style in several notable plays like Ghashiram Kotwal by Vijay Tendulkar Vijaya Mehta s Marathi adaptations of Bertolt Brecht s The Good Woman of Setzuan as Devajine Karuna Keli 1972 and Caucasian Chalk Circle as Ajab Nyaya Vartulacha 1974 P L Deshpande s Teen paishacha Tamasha 1978 an adaptation of Brecht s The Threepenny Opera 3 Mehta also adapted and Ionesco with Chairs 10 11 Varyavarchi Varat the most famous and comedy play written by Pu la Deshpande and also this play is still in theaters with new cast amp crew Although the characters created by Pu La were fictional many people still relate to them Marathi Rangabhoomi Din Edit5 November is Celebrated as Marathi Rangabhoomi Din See also EditList of Marathi theatre actors Theatre in IndiaBibliography EditAnand Patil 1993 Western influence on Marathi drama a case study Rajahaṃsa ISBN 81 85854 06 8 Dnyaneshwar Nadkarni 1988 Balgandharva and the Marathi theatre Roopak Book Shanta Gokhale National School of Drama 2000 Playwright at the Centre Marathi drama from 1843 to the present Seagull Books ISBN 81 7046 157 X Shanta Gokhale 2008 Mapping Marathi theatre India seminar Retrieved 27 February 2016 Notes Edit Modern Marathi theatre had milestones limitations The Times of India 7 June 2011 Archived from the original on 7 May 2013 Rubin p 196 a b Don Rubin Chua Soo Pong Ravi Chaturvedi Ramendu Majundar Minoru Tanokura 2001 The World Encyclopedia of Contemporary Theatre Asia Pacific Taylor amp Francis p 155 ISBN 978 0 415 26087 9 Varadpande p 163 Peterson Indira Viswanathan 30 September 2011 Multilingual Dramas at the Tanjavur Maratha Court and Literary Cultures in Early Modern South India The Medieval History Journal 14 2 285 321 doi 10 1177 097194581101400207 S2CID 162845441 multilingual dance dramas in Tanjore courts nias Datta p 1087 Prominent Personalities Vishnudas Bhave Sangli gov in Archived from the original on 14 March 2012 Retrieved 27 February 2016 Marathi Theatre 19 March 2012 Archived from the original on 19 March 2012 Retrieved 31 July 2017 Dharwadker p 368 Dharwadker p 314References EditStanley Hochman 1984 McGraw Hill encyclopedia of world drama Vol 3 VNR AG ISBN 0 07 079169 4 Manohar Laxman Varadpande 1992 History of Indian Theatre Abhinav Publications ISBN 978 81 7017 278 9 Don Rubin 1998 The World Encyclopedia of Contemporary Theatre Asia Taylor amp Francis ISBN 0 415 05933 X Amaresh Datta 2006 The Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature Vol 2 Sahitya Akademi ISBN 81 260 1194 7 Gabrielle H Cody Evert Sprinchorn 2007 The Columbia encyclopedia of Modern Drama Vol 1 Columbia University Press ISBN 978 0 231 14422 3 Aparna Bhargava Dharwadker 2009 Theatres of Independence Drama Theory and Urban Performance in India Since 1947 University of Iowa Press ISBN 978 1 58729 642 0 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Theater of Maharashtra History of Marathi theatre For grants get a good grade Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Marathi theatre amp oldid 1144304555, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
