Correspondent
IMPHAL, January 9
[dropcap]M[/dropcap]anipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh inaugurated the 6-day Bharat Rang Mahotsav International Theatre Festival of India at the well designed playhouse “The Shrine” of Chorus Prefecture in Imphal this evening. A total of six theatre groups including three foreign groups including Japan,Sri Lanka and Israel are participating the festival.
Ibobi was the chief guest of the formal inaugural function while Public Works Department Minister Dr Kh Ratankumar presided over the gathering.Vice Chairman Prof N Tombi Singh of JN Manipur Dance Academy Imphal was the guest of honour of the function where Chairman Ratan Thiyam of the National School of Drama Society gave the key note address.
In his speech Manipur Chief Minister Ibobi expressed the need to give incentives to the artistes of the state as done in the field of games and sports.
The Manipur state government is also exploring status of the artistes and the other facilities provided to them in the other countries so as to replicate the modalities if any in Manipur, he informed. The government has discussed the matter seriously.Manipuris have tremendous potential in and the field of arts and culture and sports.
Works Minister Dr Ratan and Vice Chairman of JN Manipur Dance academy Prof N Tombi also spoke on the occasion. In his spech Minister Ratan expressed his proudness for selecting Imphal and Guwahati for the main venues for the International Theatre Festival.The festival at Guwahati will begin from January 12.
Later Israel’s Tel Aviv based theatre group-Gabrielle Neuhaus Physical Theater’s playwright and director Gabrielle presented solo performance called ‘The Women who didn’t want to come down to Earth’.
A 50 minute non-verbal with a smattering of English Israeli play at the Shrine playhouse of Chorus Prefecture has enthralled the gathering in this winter evening.
According to the Director Gabrielle, the three episodes of the play were created in 2012 successfully for ClipaAduma and Intimadance festivals in Tev Aviv.
A total of five plays including Pampa Bharata(Karnataka),Utushi(Japan),Those who could not hear the Music (WestBengal),Tamasha(Maharashtra) and Sindu Kirlli(Sri Lanka) will be performed during the Bharat Rang Mahotsav International Theatre Festival of India which was started in 1999 by the NSD to contribute to the growth and development of theatre across the country.
