Teen Pregnancy: its Prevalence and Alternatives

Zarrilli mentioned that “Although scholars disagree on a definition, we may define ‘popular’ theatre as stage entertainment that appeals to cross class audiences in complex societies through commercial means. ” (Zarrilli et al, Theatre Histories, 2006, pg 311) In this context it could be stated that a theatre is a stage where the actor and actress perform their characters according to the director script is written. But the acting on the stage and especially in front of the audience is more difficult rather than performing on the back stage.

There is whole lot of difference between a normal theatre and a popular theatre because rather than the culture mimic and mirror it also shows disagreement for the spectators with not a single question to answer but actually gives a reflection to the audience to find the answer. Popular theatre is nothing like that, what we see on television or theatre, where the actor and actress are performing a masterpiece, but here it is only to perform and realise the situation of the script and play a stage role in a very simple manner so that everyone can understand.

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However, in this context it would be relevant to mention that melodrama, folk drama, festivals, calendar celebrations such as; Christmas, Easter, the harvest festival and Halloween, carnivals, clowns, reality TV as examples of popular theatre. Discussion While placing a role in front of a viewer popular theatre should tell a story and also bring a concern to the community around the issue. The content should be a potential one and it should be a theatre as a “rehearsal of life” so that the visitors can overcome the fears of mind and can build a self reliance among them selves.

The act should be intense, so that the audience gets encourage and they should have the ideas without any hesitation in mind. Thus from this view point events like melodrama, folk drama, festivals, calendar celebrations such as; Christmas, Easter, the harvest festival and Halloween, carnivals, clowns, reality TV well blends into the parameter of popular theatre. Now, for the presentation it requires some time and with the chosen form of communication it can be done very quickly and easily.

Sometimes the local people carry out the expenses making the production cost low. Another important part of popular theatre is to organize a very few people who have a very good understanding among themselves so that they can make their own decisions and participate to do the work. (Berkowitz, 189) An illustration of a case study would help in this context. Take for example ‘Kissa Kursi Ka’ (Trans: Tale of Throne), Directed by former parliamentarian Amrit Nahata, that originated as a folk drama, was a controversial Indian play.

The plot revolved around a corrupt and evil politician, Utpal Dutt, trying to woo personified public, Shabana Azmi. It talked about evil politicians running after the ministerial throne to do anything and everything to get the so called ministry chair and ultimately shows that all politicians are of same character, leaving a question mark on the viewers about the characters of the politicians governing the country. This is what folk drama does. It reveals the public sentiment on different issues. In this case it was political satire.

(Dos, 177) Now comes the performance part. It is completely an art, where the artist has to interact with spectators indirectly. Before they come in front of them they need ample practice to perform on stage with exemplary presence of mind. To make it complete, the artist should have appropriate make up, speech, to convey the message with proper skills of non verbal communication. Sometimes the interaction with audience can be direct, it becomes a testing time for the artist’s presence of mind, as different audience can behave indifferently.

So folk artists of a folk drama have to work according to it. In a normal theatre the artist perform their role very professionally because it is their bread and butter for them, so they have to perform quiet confidently so that the next order or roll does not quit away from them. Therefore they have to work very sincerely on that performance act. But in the popular theatre such as folk drama the artist plays a role without any tension on the platform and they do well than the professional people.

This only happens because they think that they are working for the society or for the community to grow awareness among the people, so that they do not suffer afterwards in the later part of the life. Here we can see that the normal theatre artist perform their duties for their occupation, whereas the popular theatre artist does their work for the betterment of the society. For example, in India our government has taken an initiative to do away with stigma around AIDS. While launching this type of welfare needs, the government has taken two steps to convey the message to the people of India.

One is by providing awareness to the citizen by the help of television. (Border, 227-228) This type of small advertisement programs are covered by popular artist, so that the admirers of the artist gets more attracted to the message of the advertisement, which had been conveyed to them and they should follow that message from that particular day and also discuss the issue with others. With that particular topic, the government also launches small programs, like street skits, with the local people who stay in the villages and perform the role, where the awareness of the advertisement had not reach.

Here popular theatre plays its part. It takes more time and hassle for the performers to do the work, but it will be sure that the message will be reach to each and every family, which is much more effective than the regular theatre. These types of popular theatre are conducted by the artist according to the village tradition, culture and language which can give a more positive effect on the minds of the audience. Artist faces many problems out here. Cost is a main factor, where most of the money comes from the government, where the rest had to be collected from the welfare trustees, who donate for the betterment of the people.

For every rehearsal the artists had some expenses for make ups, dress, food, lodging, this small cost looks more visible when the artist is performing for quit along time. As the funds are very limited it also crates a negative impact while performing a role. For that the insiders and the outsiders have to talk freely and openly with the particular problem and with the help of the experiences they have to solve it. Most of the people start with his own experience and later notice or study the experience of other artist. (Deb, 323)

The analysis part is done between actors, facilitators, animators and even between the insiders and the outsiders. In this type of analysis the issue information is examined in three contexts, that is economical social or political. This issue should immediately bring to light and the problem had to solve instantly so that the performance gets better. In a popular theatre, one most important point have to be notice that is to convert the major issues into entertainment and that particular entertainment can be in the form of series of work shops, or a play.

This type of particular structured entertainment or activities can be done by asking people to take on the role of a group or community unfamiliar to them and then have the feeling and reflect the experience. Thus it is certain that popular theatre like melodrama, folk drama, festivals, calendar celebrations such as; Christmas, Easter, the harvest festival and Halloween, carnivals, clowns, reality TV work highly in the context of mass entertainment. (Dev, 78-81) Conclusion When the artist take on very unfamiliar roles they are forced to learn and find new feelings and experience followed by creative thoughts.

Emotions of new thought can be done by incorporating the ideas into the theme. Here practice takes place and the next important stage “rehearsal for life”, which also provides an opportunity of a new perception. The contributor or audience are said to analyze or resolution of a problem or leave the stage with a provoking question in the mind of the audience so that they can separately analyse and assess the culture and work according to the political scenario. By resolving this type of contradiction the drama reach a new phase and it turns to a new disagreement and so the process becomes continuous.

(Dos, 441-442) Bibliography: Zarrilli, Phillip B. McConachie, Bruce A Williams, Gary Jay and Sorgenfrei, Carol Fisher. Theatre Histories: An Introduction. New York and London: Routledge, 2006 Berkowitz, L; Theatre and Man; New Haven and London: Yale University Press. 2006 Border, S; Act I: Fire of the Mind; Wellington: National Book Trust; 2006 Deb, J; Introduction to Russian Acting: Stage for Mankind; Dunedin: ABP Ltd. 2005 Dell, S; Evaluation of UK Stage; Dunedin: ABP Ltd. 2006 Dos, M; Future of Thought Process in Theatre History; Christchurch: Alliance Publications; 2005

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