Jammu, August 27: The seventh day of Natrang’s International Talk show, live on its Facebook page, was illuminated by the practicable pondering about ‘Vision of Theatre’ by Shri Suman Kumar, an eminent dramatist, presently working as Deputy Secretary (Drama) at Sangeet Natak Akademi. As informed by Padmashree Balwant Thakur, Director Natrang, this talk show is reaching and is being appreciated beyond borders of the country and is doing immense contribution in awareness and promotion of the ‘Vision of Theatre’ of the most celebrated theatre personalities of India. Introducing Mr. Suman Kumar, Rahul Singh informed that in addition to his NSD Graduation Suman has also done a course in Design from Mount view Theatre School, London. Suman has directed plays, explored themes, improvised situations, written musicals, devised stage versions of poems and other non-dramatic-texts. Shakespeare, Chekhov, Brecht, O’Neill, J.M. Synge, Bhishm Sahni, Premchand, Harishankar Parsai,Neruda, Muktibodh, Simborshka, Dhumil, Rajkamal Chaudhary and Faiz were the sources for his dramatic mounting on stage. He has written around 40 performing scripts for stage. Given Contemporary Hindustani expressions to the concepts and theories popular in the world theatre, theatre training methodologies and practices with an historical perspective written on Stanislavasky, Grotowaski, Michal Saint Danish, Brecht, Augusto Boul, Peter Brook, Kalidasa, Natyashastra.
Suman has frequently conducted/directed theatre training workshops for NSD, Sangeet Natak Akademi, Sahitya Kala Parishad and is visiting faculty for the drama departments in the universities in India. He has conducted several expression-n-communication, Drama Therapy workshops for General Managers, Officers and Service Holders, Street and Specially Challenged Children.
Othello, Mecbeath, The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagoni, The Playboy of the Western World, Exception and The Rule, Khabsoorat Bahu, Agni aur Varkha, Chekhov Ke Duniya, The Playboy of the Western World, Train to Pakistan, Mahamahim, Das Din ka Anshan, Swarglok Me Democracy, Black Board Bregade,Balchrit, Assi – Bahri Alang, Puhaar, Satyagrah, Boodhi Kaki, Kasap, etc.are the major plays directed by him. Participated in an International Theatre Festival of Drama Schools at Copenhagen, Denmark in 1996 with a play “Tin Ka Nanha Sepoi” based on a Danish story “The Little Tin Soldier”he lead a cultural troupe to Peru and Cuba in 2012. For his immense contribution, he has been awarded Hindi Natak Samman from Hindi Academy, Govt. of Delhi, Mahendra Excellency Award for Best Playwright 2012, Natsamarat Theatre Award for Best Writer 2016, Ras Rang Samman. National Culture Junior Fellowship (04-05), Fellowship from National School of Drama on “Production-Process”,Research Grant from Sangeet Natak Akademi. Kalashri (Patna), Panashe Award, 2020, Allahabad, Kalavid Samman 2016. Charles Wallace India Trust Scholarship, 1998, British Council. Suman is also member of Advisory Committee on ICH (Intangible Cultural Heritage), Memory of World Register (UNESCO)
In a highly charged session, Suman candidly discussed about the present times, where the space for an artist is curtailed because of the corona crisis. The only space left for an artist, keeping social distancing in mind is online space, which shall be utilized optimally for the spread, awareness and promotion of art. He expressed that sports and culture are badly affected by the present crises as these require larger participation of people which is not presently possible and not even in near future but he shared his hope that Theatre adapts itself and it will certainly adapt to the present times. He insisted that art education shall be organised like school education to achieve its primary function of awareness and enlightenment. For a better art appreciating society, children shall be involved in the theatre process so that it may flourish and new and innovative thoughts find a place in it. Suman believes that theatre art is a knowledge, which shall be shared with more and more people so that it may grow. Theatre has got the ability to transform society. Art awareness has never been a priority for the policy makers, but it is a must for a better and well-mean society. There shall be better infrastructure and space for art to flourish which shall change the scenario. Repertories shall be encouraged which will facilitate promotion of art. Universities shall come forward in this cause as it will reap immense benefits for the society. Suman believes that documentation of art is equally important as this will spread our work to the larger audience. He opines that, if properly patronized and thoughtfully organised, art can provide dignified careers to the youth. Just like IAS, Indian Administrative Services there shall be ICS, Indian Cultural Services and Performing Arts Universities so that art and culture is properly promoted because theatre has the capability to spread humanity.
Those who are coordinating this mega online event include Anil Tickoo, Neeraj Kant, Suresh Kumar, Sanjeev Gupta, Vikrant Sharma, Sumeet Sharma,Rahul Singh, Aarushi Thakur Rana, Mohd. Yaseen and Gauri Thakur.
