A Reflection on Art & Theatre Evolution
The 20th century brought the world to a standstill with two raging world wars. Around 50 to 56 million people were killed. These sudden change of events, alteration in a generation, amount of suffering for individuals alive during those times affected greatly and these impacts reflected on the art which was born after the world war.
Art which was prospering in Europe since the late 16th century took a turn of interesting events. Many theatrical movements based on newly found/ discovered terms began in the 20th century from Realist theatre (realism), Modern Theatre, Absurd theatre (Post WW-II), Political, Post-modern (Late 20th century). Theatre was becoming a medium of expression, a mode to convey unrest in society, oppression by hierarchy. Symbolism was a major tool used in theatrical movements during that time. Until this time, the theatre was struggling to break the influence of the pre-renaissance era. Language became an obstruction in an expression of feelings. Example being “Breath” by Samuel Beckett lasting no longer than a minute with no dialogues.
European continent fought its civil wars during the 15th and 16th centuries. What came next was an endless practice and mastery of colonialism, and exploitation of resources from other parts of the world. The art was no longer belonging to the rich, it was gradually entering the domain of the poorest of the poor. Their daily life was finding ways into the theatre. “The lower depth” by Maxim Gorky is one of the few.
During the two World wars societal change was exponential- — Generations of youth were killed, older men married younger girls to give birth, the population increased, humans were raped in front of each other, — catalyzing the change to the maximum. Everyone was exposed to it and were also a part of it, which essentially led to the evolution of theatrical movements. So theatre and artistic expression, therefore, became more commonplace and omnipresent?
In India, societal change never really came and theatre never really evolved to its fullest barring a few playwrights such as Ibrahim Alkazi, Badal Sircar, Vijay Tendulkar and Mahesh Elkunchwar in the late ’60s. Two major reasons for theatre’s late blossoming; first, India had always been a war-prone region and second, the lack of resolve to preserve and promote our folk stories and theatre. Hence, theatre never gained the same prestige as other forms of art like music or painting and never respected as a gainful profession. Despite this, so many theatrical forms evolved from India, such as “Nautanki” (A play that pioneered the slapstick form of comedy known as “Nautanki”).
Fast forward to today, we are faced with disaster and we are left with an uncertain future. Will it bring another wave of nihilism or will it be existentialism? Will we be happy? What and how new normal will look like? Will the new normal change the arts again? Will Indian theatre be affected or effected?
While we all reflect, I wanted to leave you with two lines by Faiz Ahemad Faiz,
”ये दाग़ दाग़ उजाला, ये शबगज़ीदा सहर
वो इन्तज़ार था जिस का, ये वो सहर तो नहीं”
“This light, smeared and spotted, this night‐bitten dawn
This isn’t sure the dawn we waited for so eagerly”