இலங்கைத் தமிழ் நாடகம் ‘உயிர்த்த மனிதர் கூத்து’ நியம அரங்கா? அல்லது காவிய அரங்கா?

Sri Lankan Tamil drama 'UyirthamanitharKoothu' is an epic theatre? or formalistic theatre?

Abstract

In the year 1991, School of Drama & Theatre in Northern Jaffna, Sri Lanka, produced the play "Uyirthamanitharkooththu" and performed it in 21 places. The play was produced using the epic theatre concept. This play was spoke about conflicts of two ethnic groups of Nagas and Eyakkar which explores the conflict in Sri Lanka. The play was full of poetry and the rhythmic form. Play was created by improvisation. Visual images are created based on culture. The director had only a story when he met the actors for the production of the play. Even in that story there were no definite scenes and characters. But because every rehearsal was invented by improvisation; Many new scenes appeared. Any mismatches that would be merged later were deleted and retrieved. This play's dramatic actions can carry the audience for long years back, Although reminiscent of real events. Adopting Brecht's theory of epic theater and the technic of alienation, the play 'Uyirthamanitharkooththu' was prepared. As the researcher as an actor and participant of this play analysis with autoethnography method, and concept of epic theatre. This paper further analysis how the war tragedies were documented and communicated to the spectators, and was its communication successful in terms of epic theater theory? Or did it have a formalistic theatre communication?