In 1979, a group of younger folks in Bengaluru — undergraduate college students, docs, engineers, and scientists — got here collectively to type Gnatak, a theatre collective staging English performs that highlighted the lives of these on the margins. The group remained lively for almost eight years earlier than going dormant, solely to be revived in the early 2000s with a collection of productions impressed by the works of main worldwide playwrights.
On May 10, Gnatak will stage The Train Driver in Thiruvananthapuram. The 70-minute play, written by not too long ago deceased South African playwright Athol Fugard, is directed by Anikh Ghosh — an impartial filmmaker and author who additionally directed Gnatak’s inaugural manufacturing, The Island (additionally by Fugard), in 1979.
MetroPlus caught up with the Gnatak staff at the moment in the town: actors Abraham Karimpanal and Rohit Dave, and members of the technical crew, Michael Joseph (lighting) and Sutosom Chakraborthy (sound).
Abraham and Michael, each 65, have been with Gnatak since its inception. Abraham, additionally a director and lighting designer, has labored with stalwarts equivalent to Kavalam Narayana Panikkar, Gracias Devaraj, and Prakash Aswani. Michael, a filmmaker and educator identified for his pioneering work with numerous establishments, is director on the Datsi School for Storytellers in Thiruvananthapuram, a collaboration between Zebu Animation Studios and Additional Skill Acquisition Programme (ASAP) Kerala.
Rohit, 53, was previously with Rafiki Theatre and has additionally labored extensively as a voice artist. Sutosom, in his late 20s, is a CG lighting artist and mentor at Datsi; this manufacturing marks his first collaboration with Gnatak.
Reality on stage
The Train Driver relies on a harrowing real-life occasion — a mom who died by suicide on a railway observe together with her three younger youngsters. In the play, Roelf Visagie, an Afrikaner practice driver, is haunted after his practice runs over a Black lady and her child, nonetheless strapped to her again. Wracked with guilt, he turns up at a graveyard and meets Simon, the Black gravedigger tasked with burying the anonymous useless. As their dialog unfolds, Roelf slowly begins to make sense of his inside turmoil and the world round him.
(From left) Rohit Dave, Abraham Karimpanal, Michael Joseph and Sutosom Chakraborthy
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SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Abraham and Rohit have been portraying Simon and Roelf respectively for the reason that play’s first staging in 2014. “One of the reasons we chose this piece is its logistical ease — it has only two actors and can be performed in any space,” says Rohit. “But more than that, although it was written in post-apartheid South Africa, the theme still resonates. It’s about two people — from very different backgrounds — trying to understand one another.” Abraham provides, “It’s an emotional work and a challenge for any actor. It suits our style.”
Michael expands on this. “We’ve been influenced by the likes of Jerzy Grotowski, Peter Brook, and Eugenio Barba — pioneers who moved away towards ‘physical theatre which celebrated the body and dislodged the centrality of the spoken word’. Our productions have always focused on those pushed to the margins. What’s interesting is how much energy each actor brings — it feeds into the other’s performance. For us, it’s always been about intense collaboration.”
As for lighting, Michael says it evolves with every efficiency. “Fugard plays with time while remaining in the same physical setting. A scene may begin at dusk and slip into night — so I have to make subtle changes.”
Sutosom sees this expertise as a progress alternative. “It’s a chance to push myself and contribute a different dimension to the production,” he says.
Abraham notes that The Train Driver will supply audiences in Kerala a unique sort of theatre. “This isn’t conventional professional theatre, nor is it the stylised, experimental kind. It is about ordinary people and raw emotion. We don’t use masks or exaggerated movements to hide the narrative.”
The staff sees the manufacturing as a tribute to Fugard and his physique of labor. “It’s been remarkable to see him mature into a masterly playwright. The craft he developed as a writer was so exquisite and nuanced,” Michael says.
The Train Driver, produced by Datsi School for Storytellers and Zebu Animation Studios, might be staged at Ganesham, Thycaud, on May 10. For tickets, contact 9447112918.
Published – May 08, 2025 12:38 pm IST
