KATHAKALI

By Michel Lestréhan and some company artists.

Parallel to the performances, Michel Lestréhan, the French Kathakali expert and founding member of the Prana company, presents Kathakali in its historical and social context with the participation of Indian artists. The demonstration focuses on the narrative aspects of the dance and includes the relation of the mudras (symbolic hand gestures) to the abhinaya (facial expressions), as well as its musical accompaniment.

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Kathakali theatre in a nutshell ...

Kathakali is India’s most well-known theatrical form and without doubt, the most spectacular. It is derived from ancient votive rituals native to Kerala and its repertoire comes from the great epics, the Ramayana and the Mahabharta, as well as the Puranas – chronicles of ancient India.

In order to depict the mythological heroes and demons with maximum expressive force, Kathakali makes use of powerful theatrical artifices. The characters’ appearance is fascinating; it respects a cleverly codified symbolism expressed through colourful costumes and unique makeup, giving the protagonists a truly superhuman appearance.

The actors are silent so their performance relies on a language of elaborate gestures and facial expressions. As for the narration of the plot, this is entirely left in the care of the narrator-singers, while the percussion instruments raise the dramatic tension.

Performances normally take place outdoors within the temple grounds and generally last for the whole night. The call of the drums invites people to gather while a curtain is hung in the centre of the stage and a large oil lamp is lit – this signals that the performance is about to start. This ritualization of time and space is the necessary condition for making the myths come to life through the magic of theatre.