Today, theatre is seeing a lot of footfall: Ujwala Rao

Ujwala Rao’s latest directorial venture, Bag Dancing, is about friendship and trust. Written by Mike Kenny from the UK, the play — featuring Kannada and English theatre artists B V Shrunga and Surabhi J Herur — follows Imelda and Neville’s journey. “Imelda is a homeless woman who carries her entire life in her bags. Neville, a young worker at a homeless shelter, has constructed emotional barriers around himself. The two strike a friendship. In one sense, Imelda is the enabler here, as she helps him open up,” Ujwala tells us.
‘THE PLAY ADDRESSES TOPICS THAT ARE VERY RELEVANT IN TODAY’S TIME’
Bag Dancing talks about issues like mental health and war displacement. These are things that are relevant even today, given what’s happening around the world. I strongly believe that it is very important for children to start on mental health awareness young.

‘THEATRE IS STILL A NICHE ACTIVITY, BUT MORE PEOPLE ARE EMBRACING IT’
Theatre is still a niche activity. But there is the magic of live performance and a lot of people who come and watch their first play keep coming back. There is something transformative about it. Now, we hope that people don’t feel theatre is too inaccessible or that they have to come intellectually prepared to understand it.
‘THEATRE'S BECOME FORMULAIC NOW'
We see that certain themes and content can get in more people. So, since there is money involved, people are scared to take up things that are a little more different, that’s more experimental and quote, unquote, risky. Like mythology is a great crowd puller or a family drama or comedy. I mean, they’re all great. But it is also nice to be able to do something outside of that, which is a bit difficult right now.
‘TODAY PEOPLE PLAN TO WATCH PLAYS’
After the pandemic, there was a definite lull, but there is a definitive interest in plays, today. Earlier, we wouldn’t get people at all on weekdays for our shows, but now we feel like there is a decent turnout, even on weekdays. And I feel people are interested. They’re considering theatre as a social activity now.