‘Daklakatha Devi Kavya’, one of the recent productions in Kannada theatre, tells the rarely heard tale of the little known community of Dakkaligas, a nomadic people. Based on K.B. Siddaiah’s long narrative poem (khanda kavya), the play, directed by K.P. Lakshman, a graduate of the Intercultural Theatre Institute Singapore, received a good response across Karnataka and outside wherever it was staged. Among other places, it was staged at the International Theatre Festival of Kerala held in Thrissur earlier this year.
While the content is unique, so is the presentation of the theme in the play. Two lead characters appear on the stage playing tamate (hand drum) and are-vadya (urmi), instruments not too often seen on the stage of traditional theatre. At one point the lead woman character lights a beedi, again a gesture not commonly seen on traditional stage.
