Aatramai--Three Plays from Koothu-P-Pattarai Contd..

Aatramai by Ku. Pa. Raa is a tight play describing the inconsolable grief of a middle aged married woman deprived of sexual gratification. Her emotions when beholding the love games of the young girl next door with her husband were portrayed graphically in the facial expressions and voice of the actor.

The final play was a story of conflict between innocent villagers who cut down a tree allegedly in public land (Poromboke). Till the very end no one knows to whom it belongs. The petty rivalries and power games played by the village maniam and the karnam are brought out humorously and with a lot of vivacity. The innocence of the villagers and a carefree life where brushing one’s teeth, bathing and washing are all performed in the open is beautifully portrayed in mime.

This is how theatre should be enjoyed. In open air with lights focusing on the actors but not blinding the audience, deep resonance of the voices in the silence of the evening and a cool breeze from the south gently fanning us. For an hour anda half, we were transported to the deep south of Tamilnadu and allowed to share the lives, travails and joys of these people with their mundane yet existential problems.

KPP staged this play at Coimbatore on 24^th June 2010 as part of the Tamil Chemmozhi Manaadu.