Rangashankara
Bharat Muni’s Natyashastra, the worlds oldest treatise on stagecraft, was often called the fifth Veda, so much was the wisdom and knowledge contained in it. It presented an analogy faultless in its logic and poetic in its vision- that the human body itself is the site for theatre. The mouth is the theatre space, it urged, the vocal resonators the actors who translate and project, and the audience your fellow human beings. If this is so, then Rangashankara, the multi-facility arts centre and theatre in Bangalore is the most articulate mouth in India.
The brainchild of Arundhati Nag, nee Rao, Rangashankara is built in the memory of her late husband, Kannada actor and director Shankar Nag. Arundhati, with over 30 years of experience in the theatre of many languages realised the need for a small space for the vibrant amateur theatre movement in Bangalore- a city where there are no real theatre-based spaces, where for a play, you can hire the hall of a cultural centre which is cheap, but has no acoustics to speak of, or attempt to raise funds to rent a huge space that was originally meant for musical events only, and nothing in between.
Bangalore’s need was for a well-equipped arena for small local Kannada and English theatre groups as well as national and international performers. Arundhati envisioned a space that was exclusively for theatre and could also be used for dance, music and performance art.
Created in the spirit of the Prithvi theatre in Mumbai, and with the larger purpose of bridging the divide between vernacular and English theatre, Rangashankara is only months away from completion, but at one time it seemed a distant dream. An idea born eight years ago, Rangashakara got underway in October 2001, and the estimated cost of the project was over 3 crores. Several individuals, corporates, even the state and central governments contributed to the building fund in cash or kind, and miraculously, there only remains 40 lakhs to be raised to complete the building. Arundhati tells of a computer engineer who sends Rs 600 every month from his limited salary. The community feeling for the project is immense, with big names like SG Vasudev (he designed the logo), Naseeruddin Shah (lent his voice to the promo), Rajeev Menon (shot the promo), Peter Mukherjee (of Star, who is airing the promo), and Shabana Azmi, contributing to the project, and Rangashakara promises to give much back to that very community.
Rangashankara is designed by Bangalore-based architect Sharukh Mistry, consulting with the legendary MS Sathyu and Arundhati for inputs into the specific needs of theatre spaces. Its capacity is only 300 seats, and to hire it will cost a theatre group only Rs3000 a day, leading Arundhati to laughingly describe it as a “black hole”. To keep it going, she hopes to be able to form a corpus, or get a corporate partner who will underwrite the project, like the Prithvi has done. “Maintenance is the killer”, she says. “I need at least Rs 2 lakhs a month for just that.”
Rangashankara stands on a quarter of an acre of land in Bangalore’s JP Nagar, a simple, yet effective structure with curved walls waiting to be painted blue, khaki and black, the colours of Rangashankara. Inside, you get the feeling of spaces leading into spaces, different levels ascending and descending- then you realise that every corner serves a purpose. The millions of details that go into the making and maintaining of a theatre leap out as Arundhati takes you on a tour up steps, around lighting catwalks and down ramps.
The ground floor is a gloriously open area surrounded by a café, a bookstore and the box office. In the centre is the space where the children’s workshops that are planned for every day of the school year will be held. This is also the space for informal performances by fledgling theatre groups or pre-play specials.
You are led up a staircase to the first level, where you walk quite suddenly into the curved expanse of the theatre itself. The stage is 40 ft long and the seating occupies another 40 ft (as per the natyashastra). The stage is still a gaping hole, but you can see that it will be a thrust (a stage that extends further out of the traditional proscenium arch stages we are used to), and can become traditional proscenium arch if needed. Arundhati explains that it will be a revolving stage, the first of its kind in Bangalore. There is even a trapdoor upstage, and a door cut into the back of the stage to bring in big sets. The cyclorama can be raised up and out of the way. You catch your breath at the possibilities these features provide for experimental work- and even conventional plays can be made so much richer by the use of these devices that are old hat in the west, but exciting innovations for us in India. The high accordion shaped ceilings and the amphitheatre-like seating add an almost surreal quality to the space.
The acoustics in the theatre have been treated with great care- they are possibly the single most important, sensitive detail in a theatre. Using an acoustic consultant, it has been ensured that even a whisper on stage will clearly reach the last row of seats. Even the inner contours of the building have been designed so that sound carries but the echo is minimised.
There are 50 lights, 30 of which are given out with the space, and 20 are optional, with 25 more connections. The lighting grid that can come down on a pulley, and extensive catwalks, make certain of a high level of professional and experimental lighting being possible. On hand to help will be a trained crews and a technician for lighting and sound connections. “Now if only I could find a way to stop mobile phones ringing during a performance”, says Arundhati wistfully, already having restricted the entry of babies and latecomers (who can watch the show from a latecomers gallery on the second level)
Other features like a huge backstage area, 4 greenrooms, a provision for a film projector for documentary showings, and video recordings of every performance are added benefits for theatre groups. Great attention has been paid to community responsibility, with wheelchair access everywhere, proper fire exits, an art gallery on the upper floor, translation apparatus for 30 seats which is also disability compatible, and special shows for the elderly- and of course the childrens’ repertory.
Plans are also being made to start a film club, and extensive archives of the performances. There will be a script bank, sound bank, a music bank, as well as information on how to acquire material not available in the archives/banks, contact playwrights, pay royalties etc. the large terrace, which can also be used for performance has been made strong enough for another floor to be built.
Rangashankara is an extension of our community’s need for culture and creativity. A space where people from all economic and social levels can come together to perform or be entertained. A centre of positive energies, channelling new ideas, new scripts, and new directors. Creating audience loyalty and a zone where one can walk in 365 days of the year and know there will be something to feed one’s soul.
(2005)
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