'Theatre of Simplicity'
— Ranabir Mangang's new form of theatre —

By Oinam Anand *

Almost all the stage plays that are staged in our theatre by different theatrical groups, there is always an overdose of tension and emotion while depicting the reality of life to carry the emotion of the spectator.

The so called theatre critics of Dramas have also sided with such plays and is giving their grade in favour of the plays which have heightened the tension and emotion of the spectators.

But what about the plays which present a series of problems on the stage? If the problem put up in the play is more important than the taste of the play, to bisect or to test or to discuss about the problem that is highlighted in the play is more important than to watch the play as mere pleasure sake, then a new form, a new technique should be looked into.

About the plays which present a problem of the society on the stage and invite the audience to involve into the solution of the problem raised by the play, then there should be a new prescriptions in form and technique of the play. Here lies the beginning of a new experiment of Ranabir Mangang and his "Theatre of Simplicity".

For the last seventeen years, this young, dynamic playwrite and Director of Ougree Theatre Repertory has been in a dream pursuit for a new technique, a new kind of presentation of stage plays.

To him a stage play brings up an issue, or a problem on the stage relating to man in society, individually or collectively, then the spectators would also share in searching the solution of the problems rather than taking a play as a mere show of entertainment. It demands the negation of the overdose elements of tension and emotion as found in the contemporary stage plays.

In this experiment, Ranabir Mangang has directed and produced many experimental plays based on the folk elements of the society. "Mara tadaba upal"(1991,93,94) Choukree Hougatpa(1992,2006), "Numit kappa, modern version" are some of his plays based on the theory of simple theatre to present a play as simple as can be.

But for the last many years his plays have been a victim of personal criticism, criticism with all shreds and shades of personal prejudices and predictions. His plays received a sour taste from the critics. "What is this play?" "Is it a way to present a play?" "It is sub-standard" "Isn't it a shameful" these words and more specks of dirts were thrown onto his plays by the theatregoers and critics alike.

But these words never discouraged Ranabir Mangang but instead he said, ' The burden of this experiment which I am now keeping on my shoulder is not for the sack of myself alone. If drama belongs to all then what I am bearing or what I am receiving are not only for me and my theatre group. The vilest scorn is made neither to me nor to my theatre but to the society and to the whole human society'.

Amidst the wraths from all quarters, Ranabir Mangang had read out his testament on his theory of The Theatre of simplicity on the 23rd December 2007, on the 27th foundation day of The Ougree Theatre Repertory'. In the paper he has put his theory of 'Theatre of Simplicity' in a very simple manner and words.

The aim of the theatre of Simplicity is to go direct and straight to what to be said or what to be acted. It doesn't want to waste time of the spectra by using indirect devices, by adding overdose tension and emotion and different comic flavour.

In short, it aims to present a play simple, to show for example, the beauty of a girl in its natural form not to make her more beautiful and attractive by adoring her with artificial jewelleries.

Play on the stage is the representation of real life. The time has passed when we watch a play only for the sake of entertainment. Scenes depicting the violence of the society such as murder and rape should not be watched for entertainment sake, but judging such scenes by grading it as near to reality then to ponder over to overcome is more important than enjoying the scene in its outward form.

Pleasure derived from a play definitely is the gaining momentum of tension and emotion. But Ranabir Mangang in his experiment with the theatre of simplicity always tries to present tension and emotion in a lesser degree, in a subdued state.

Beacuse he think that if a spectator totally absorbed himself to the tension, emotion and comic aspects of the play, he tends to overlook the meaning of the play or the problems raised in the play and thereby to discuss the problems that should be discussed. In his theory the plays demand that the audience become accomplices in the performance either by demanding their participation or by antagonizing them into reaction.

This theatre of simplicity has opened up a new possibility on the stage, for every stage play in our society.

First, it will considerably reduce the Hi-Fi costumes, stage decorations and will enable to present the matter and the problem raised in a simple way which will make the serious audience with critical bent of mind to concentrate on the problem presented in the play. In the siple theatre, a stage is not needed. Any place where people assemble will do.

It is recognised that the 'Theatre of Simplicity is concerned with the presentation of life as simple as life without any complex technique with the exploration of human conditions. Then Ranabir Mangang and his plays will have to be judged not by the yardstick used by the theatre critics which are old conventional measuring taps thereby denouncing his plays.

Budha Chingtham of course is the first of the contemporary theatre crities in Manipur to have shown the in depth idea beneath the plays of Ranabir Mangang and necessity of disecting his theatre of simplicity for objective criticism.

Budha finds the following concepts in the theatre of simplicity
(I) Some element of Brechtian Theatre
(II) Some elements of Absurd Theatre
(III) Some element of Poor Theatre
(IV) Some element of third theatre of Eugeno Barba and
(V) theatre as process of social change.

Once the basis of new approach has been understood, the grammer of a new kind of language shown in the theatre of simplicity is learned, then standard of judgement will be apparent in the near future.