Sanskrit Theatre
General Facts & Characteristics
Heritage of Sanskrit Theatre
Rituals and entertainments
Dating is difficult
Earliest fragments: 100 AD
Best examples - 4th & 5th c.
Records are limited
No surviving buildings
No production records
Performance Characteristics
Conventionalized
Understood by actors & audience
Costume & Makeup
Stylized & symbolic
Scenery used sparingly
Performance provided many functions:
Religious, entertainment & educational
Patronage & Language
Court & Temple supported
Widespread
Plays were multi-lingual
Sanskrit - used by major male characters
Pakrits - local languages & dialects
Sources of Information
Early Sanskrit writings 100 BC
Mahabhasya - 140 BC
Natyasastra
Natya - theatre or drama
Sastra - science or authoritative text
Bharata Muni
200 BC - 200 AD
Natyasastra says that theatre:
Involves sacred material
The audience should be educated
Performed by priest caste
Special knowledge & skill
Training is hereditary
Involves a combination of elements
Performed on consecrated ground
Intended to entertain & educate
Three performance techniques
Natya
Nrtta
Nrtya
Abhinaya
Carrying a performance to the audience
Acting technique
Four Aspects:
Vachika - words, poetry, recitation
Angika - gestures of the body
Aharya - costumes, makeup, jewelry
Sattvika - temperament, psychological insight
Rasa
Dominant sentiment or mood
Audience's perception
Major aesthetic goal of classical Indian theatre
Evoked by the actorfs appropriate depiction of various emotions (Bhava) and
feelings (Sattvika)
The 8 RASA
Shringara/ Erotic Love
Hasya/ Humor
Karuna/ Pathos
Raudra/ Anger
Vira/ Heroism
Bhayanaka Terror
Bibhatsa/ Disgust
Adbhuta/ Wonder
Bhava
The emotion the actor expresses
Bhava - Sattvika - Rasa: Relationship
The character has an underlying feeling or temperament (Sattvika)
An actor produces an emotion (Bhava)
This causes a sentiment to be perceived by the audience (Rasa)
Theatre Troupe Organization
Sutradhara
Stage manager
Troupe leader
Codified Acting Technique
Two styles
Lokadharmi
Natyadharmi
Three kinds of body movement
Limbs
Face
Entire body / cari
Visual Spectacle - 4 Aspects
Stage properties
weapons
locale identifiers
yavanika - curtain
Decorations
Makeup
Creatures - Samjiva
Stage Space
Square or rectangle
Ideal - medium rectangle - Vikrstamadhya
96f X 48f
Seated 200-500 audience
Raised stage area
Staging Conventions
Nandi - benedictory verse
Prastavana - prologue
Purvaranga - 18 other preliminary elements
Entrance conventions
Parikramana - moving around
Kaksya - zones of the stage
Play Composition
Anka - act - 1 through 10
Each act advances the plot
Plot shows hero struggling for & attaining goal
Goal relates to 3 Hindu aspects of life:
Duty (Dharma) , Pleasure (Kama) & Wealth (Artha)
show change in hero's basic situation
events related to hero or heroine
minor events reveal subtleties of emotion
summarizing of major events
never depict:
curses, marriage ceremonies, battles, death or loss of kingdom
Plot structure - vastu
Opening - Planting the seed of desire
Progression - Effort to achieve goal
Development - Hope of success
Pause - Difficulty must be overcome
Conclusion - Goal is attained
Themes
Larger universal order
Provides model of human behavior
Fate - misfortune & punishment for neglecting duty
Duty - to people, caste & society
Illusion - impermanence of the temporal world
Nature - intimate relationship of man & nature
Time & Space
Usually one day represented
If longer, a minor character reports events
Stage is a neutral/universal acting area
locale & changes of locale established by
dialogue description
conventional actor movement
Types of Plays
18 recorded in Natyasastra
Two types in surviving literature
Nataka - heroic
mythological or historical heroic character
Prakarana - social
imaginary heroic character
ordinary person
Typical story line
hero defends righteous cause
love story
lovers separated until the end of the play
Gradual Decline of Sanskrit Theatre - 9th to 10 c. AD
Political upheaval - 7th c.
Invasions
India's political organization
small princely states
Courts can no longer afford to patronize
Troupes became itinerant
performing in regional languages or disbanded
Evolution of form
more poetry, less action
less appeal outside court environment
strict adherence to rules
Islam becomes dominant - 12th c.
