Ougree Theatre Repertory and its study forum National Theatre and Literature Studies organised a seminar on ‘Manipur Theatre today with special reference to theatre productions, festivals and competitions of the year 2006 under the sponsorship of Directorate of the Arts and Culture, Govt of Manipur on the 6th May, 2007 at Kaina.

It is an endeavour by this theatre unit to make assessment and to analyse yearwise productions of plays in Manipur, a continuation which begins in 2006 with the Silver Jubilee year of Ougree Repertory Theatre.

In the inaugural function, Th Shyamkumar, Hon’ble MLA of Andro A/C graced the chair as the Chief Guest and Dr Sorojini Devi, Director Arts and Culture graced as the President.

The function was divided into two sessions, pre-lunch and post-lunch. In the morning session there was discussion, interaction on the main topic with Wareppa Naba as the moderator. In the evening session there was a Kavi Samelan of more than 30 poets with Dr I.S. Kangjam in the chair.

Ranbir Mangang, on his paper, gave a brief account of the plays that took part in different Drama Festivals and competition in Manipur in 2006. Budha Chingtham focused on the critical analysis of each plays produced in 2006 and Rajamani Ayekpam gave his account on the short plays and its origin in Manipur.

What has prompted, the Ougree Theatre Repertory to take up such steps as of organising seminars and discussions on the yearwise production of plays in Manipur? The Director of the theatre unit said, ‘This venture begins last year with the Silver Jubilee year of the ‘Ougree Repertory Theatre’.

The need is felt long for a yearwise documentation of the productions of the theatre units so that an overall analysis can be assessed by theatre lovers and critics and help in making a history by maintaining a record of the theatre productions in Manipur’.

There seems to exist a widening gap between the stage (drama) and the audience in the past few years in our state. Though there is a great response from the elite group of theatre lovers in the plays of Ratan Thiyam and Kanhailal and other directors of repute, the audience is distancing from stage plays in comparison with the public response of Sumang Leela and Manipuri films. One of the main reason is the lack of taste of stage plays in the rural areas.

There were days when rural folks took great interest and amusement in the Drama of Late Elangbam Joychandra and his touring drama party that visited their village and the plays that reach out to the villages by the Song and Drama Division.

The mission of the director of Ougree Repertory Theatre, Ranbir Mangang is to revive theatre in rural areas. He held the view that production of plays and discussion of the same should not be concentrated only at Imphal city. Stage performances should reach the rural areas also. So he is always on the look out for a place in the countryside even for a discussion or seminar on the stage plays in Manipur where the delegates can enjoy the beauty of the surrounding and at the same time to mix local people specially the youths, a chance to encourage their love of stage plays (drama).

Ranbir Mangang belongs to the group of directors who are keen to experiment the stage with the changing realities of the society keeping the tradition, myth of the past intact. He was one of the disciples of Late Padmashree GC Tongbra. He was very much instrumental in establishing ‘The Ougree Theatre Repertory’.

He is the director of Ougree at present. This theatre unit has staged more than 25 plays in the last 25 years and has been participating in every drama competition or festivals in Manipur. ‘Choukri Hougatpa’ (written by Ranbir himself) and ‘Chandalika’ (of RN Tagore) are the plays which received wide acclamation from public as well as critics.

Coming on the aspect of stage play and its impact on society, it is to be noted that the average man learned his society, history of the past and present at the theatre. He understand as he had never done before, something of the society’s present history as well as of the past, of its struggle in the past, its fight for a better social order at present.

Upon our literature the drama is incomparably the greatest force of the time. It inspired our grandest poetry as well as our sweetest lyrics. It gave variety, flexibility and clarity to our prose.

In the words of Rickett ‘Drama inspired our poetry, because the exigence of the stage demanded word pictures that should conjure up clearly and vividly the scenes suggested, because the exigence of acting demanded the eloquent exhibition of elemental emotions and swift transition of mood, because the exigences of individualising demanded nice distinctions of diction, philosophical reflection, poignant introspection, joyousness of heart, agony of spirit, all these things clamoured for utterance in the drama’.

Some give the opinion that the last decade of the 20th century and upto the present decade of 21st century, the period is so strong and rich in other kinds of literature but not in drama. The comment might have been made at the decreasing trend of theatre goers in the halls where a drama is staged. Whatever confusion there may be, however and whatever failure may occur, it is certain that the Manipuri drama heralded in the beginning of the 20th century has not lost is vital force.

There may be times when drama becomes weak, but the remarkable development of the imaginative plays based on the episode of the past and present history with experimentation in novel forms of expression in the plays of Ratan Thiyam and Kanhailal have received world wide attention. And it is a milestone in itself in the history of Drama in Manipur.

As an endpoint, in order to survive and to flourish, the Manipuri drama must have its root and foundation among the masses of the rural areas. The Ougree Theatre Repertory aims at revitalising the spirit of drama not only in the cities but also in the countryside.

The echoes on the hills of Kaina on the 6th May 2007 about discussion on drama followed by a Kavi Samelan (Sheireng Shidanaba) is a bold step of the Ougree theatre in this direction.