Mobile Theatre (), is a form of popular theatre exclusive to

Assam Assam (; ) is a state in northeastern India, south of the eastern Himalayas along the Brahmaputra and Barak River valleys. Assam covers an area of . The state is bordered by Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh to the north; Nagaland and Manipur ...

. Unlike Street plays, Mobile Theatre groups travel from place to place with their cast, singers, musicians, dancers and crew, often carrying tents and seating with them.

History

The Kohinoor Opera was the first mobile theatre group of Assam, founded by Natyacharya Brajanath Sarma, in 1930. Kohinoor Opera performed dramas, attracting thousands of spectators, from

Dhubri Dhubri (Pron: ˈdhubri) is an old town and headquarter of Dhubri district in Indian state of Assam. It is an old town on the bank of the Brahmaputra river, with historical significance. In 1883, the town was first constituted as a Municipal Bo ...

Sadiya Sadiya is a town in Tinsukia district, Assam. It was the capital of the Chutia Kingdom and after the downfall of the kingdom it became the seat of the ''Sadiya-khowa-Gohain'' of the Ahom kingdom. Extensive remains of buildings and fortifica ...

. The first Mobile Theatre play was staged on 2 October 1963, in

Pathsala Pathsala ( Assamese: পাঠশালা) is a town that has district headquarter of Bajali district in the Indian state of Assam with a population of nearly 11.5 thousand (as per 2011 census) and an area of 2.74 square kilometre size. Well ...

. Achyut Lahkar is known as the father of Mobile Theatre''.'' Lahkar's group, the Pathsala-based Nataraj Cine Theatre, was popular during the early years. His productions included: Bhogjora, Tikendrajit, Black Money, Beula. Lahkar took Mobile Theatres to

Bihar Bihar (; ) is a state in eastern India. It is the 2nd largest state by population in 2019, 12th largest by area of , and 14th largest by GDP in 2021. Bihar borders Uttar Pradesh to its west, Nepal to the north, the northern part of West ...

West Bengal West Bengal (, Bengali: ''Poshchim Bongo'', , abbr. WB) is a state in the eastern portion of India. It is situated along the Bay of Bengal, along with a population of over 91 million inhabitants within an area of . West Bengal is the fou ...

and

Uttar Pradesh Uttar Pradesh (; , 'Northern Province') is a state in northern India. With over 200 million inhabitants, it is the most populated state in India as well as the most populous country subdivision in the world. It was established in 1950 ...

. They collaborated with artists from multiple states. An industry with an annual turnover of around 100 million, the Mobile Theatre of Assam provide a source of entertainment that has progressively upgraded its stature.

Form

The Mobile Theatre of Assam has things in common with the Jatra of

, e.g. the performance on makeshift stages and are mobile. The Mobile Theatre is more advanced technically and evolved from mythological stories, to contemporary themes. The self-contained nature of Mobile Theatre allows performances in small villages without their own performance spaces, which was particularly important in villages without electricity for television. Troupes offer plays including adaptations of popular Assamese novels, Greek Classics and Hollywood blockbusters. There are over 30 mobile theatre groups in Assam, most of them based in

. In mid-September, after two months of rehearsals, the groups begin their seven-month tour in Assam.

Special effects

In 2008 Kohinoor Theatre staged ''Abuj Dora, Achin Kanya,'' the tale of a dwarf and his two friends of normal size.

Jatin Bora Jatin Bora (born 25 April 1970) is an Indian actor and director who has appeared in Assamese language films since 1989. He is also an actor and director in some mobile theatre groups of Assam, including Aabahan, Hengool, Ashirbaad, Bhagyadevi ...

played three roles. In one he was transformed in a dwarf. From lighting effects to specially tailored clothes and help from technicians, the producers were able to preserve the illusion. A local version of Superman was put on by Ashirbad Theatre. The protagonist flew around the stage with powers provided by his costume. In Deboraj Theatre's play, the role of a Dracula inspired

Vampire A vampire is a mythical creature that subsists by feeding on the vital essence (generally in the form of blood) of the living. In European folklore, vampires are undead creatures that often visited loved ones and caused mischief or deat ...

appeared on stage. The group brought to life the blood sucking scenes in the play with technical help.

Dance drama

Some theatre groups precede the main play with a short ''Nritya Natika'' or dance drama (নৃত্য-নাটিকা) which is mostly dance based. Here dialogues are recited from background and the artists are supposed to mime it accordingly.

References

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External links