World Theatre Day

Theatre and a Culture of Peace

All the world is a stage,and all the men and women are merely players, perhaps the most famous lines quoted from Shakespeare. When you have come to this world, one thing is sure: you will leave, and it is only a question of time. Being conscious about the same makes the journey easier and gives you the ability to endure the ups and downs of life. World Theatre Day, celebrated annually on March 27, reflects the desire and passion of many and an attempt to retain its glory. When you think of theatre, one cannot miss but think about Broadway theatre. Being “on Broadway” everyone aspires to be. Theatre in India is one of the most ancient forms.  In India, the theatre continues to thrive through dramas and street plays, for many, serving as a platform to graduate into the world of the silver screen. Television and movie theatres are posing challenges to the survival of traditional theatres. Another obstacle faced by the theatre is the lack of financial support. All of us have to play our roles on the stage of our lives and let us add supporting the theatre as part of our acts. Create an opportunity to join live theatre shows to record our appreciation.

All the world’s a stage, 
And all the men and women merely players; 
They have their exits and their entrances.

William Shakespeare

“All the world is a stage,And all the men and women merely players;They have their exits and their entrances”. Perhaps the most famous lines quoted from Shakespeare by the character Jaques in the play “As You Like It”. It has a philosophical message intertwined with reality. When you have come to this world, one thing is sure: you will leave, and it is only a question of time. Being conscious about the same makes the journey easier and gives you the ability to endure the ups and downs of life. What Shakespeare said through Macbeth is relevant to all of us.

Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more: it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.

Macbeth (Character in Shakespeare’s Play)

World Theatre Day, celebrated annually on March 27, reflects the desire and passion of many and an attempt to retain its glory. In 1961, “The International Theatre Institute (ITI)”, a UNESCO-affiliated organisation, focused on promoting theatre worldwide. It sowed the seeds for identifying a day dedicated to celebrating theatre. ITI’s initiative found resonance at the 9^th World Congress held in Helsinki, and the observation of World Theatre Day found its birth. The date, March 27, was chosen to coincide with the opening of the “Theatre of Nations” season in Paris in 1962.

Annual observation of “World Theatre Day” focuses on raising awareness, fostering appreciation and inspiring younger generations. Theatre goes beyond being a mode of entertainment but a tool for reaching out to the communities and working towards bringing social change. In 2024, artists gather at Langfang, China, to celebrate World Theatre Day. Every year, a distinguished literary person is designated as the “Message Author”, and this year, it is Jon Fosse, a Norwegian writer and winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature.   

Theatre is a way of seeing life more honestly.

Eugene O’Neill, American playwright

Since ancient times, theatre has been a popular form of art and entertainment. Olympic Theatre in Vicenza, Italy, is the oldest theatre in the world, with performances at the venue dating back to the 16^th century. When you think of theatre, one cannot miss but think about Broadway theatre. Being “on Broadway” everyone aspires to be. New York City can be called a theatre city, boasting more than 400 theatres, Paris following with 350 and Tokyo and London with 230 and 210, respectively. In India, there are some perfect theatre places. The National Centre for the Performing Arts, Mumbai, is India’s premier cultural institution. There is a new addition in Mumbai in the form of the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre forPerforming Arts.

Theatre in India is one of the most ancient forms.  Rigveda refers to plays that were enacted during the Yagyas. Indian theatre reflects the dramatic performance based on the concept of Nritya (dramatic narrative with dance and music). Bharata Muni’s Natyasastra, Kalidasa’s Abhijnanashakuntala, are famous plays, and Rabindranath Tagore has written plays in recent times. Kuchipudi and Yakshagana, have dramatic narratives. Puppetry carries the legacy of long years and is a form that has a reach to rural audiences. Artists like Dr Anupama Hoskere are continuing the tradition.

Theatre is a voyage into the archives of the human imagination.

Natasha Tsakos

In India, the theatre continues to thrive through dramas and street plays, for many, serving as a platform to graduate into the world of the silver screen. Television and movie theatres are posing challenges to the survival of traditional theatres. Another obstacle faced by the theatre is the lack of financial support.

I regard the theatre as the greatest of all art forms, the most immediate way in which a human being can share with another the sense of what it is to be a human being.

Oscar Wilde

As Oscar Wilde said, theatre is the greatest of all art forms and mediums in which humans share with others emotions and what it means to be a human being. All of us have to play our roles on the stage of our lives and let us add supporting the theatre as part of our acts. Create an opportunity to join live theatre shows to record our appreciation.

Toons: Anusha
Logs: M. Sai Baba
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