Theater in India. Indian theater - origins and main ideas Book miniature of India

Theatrical performances in India, all cult life, services in temples, processions are accompanied by music. Moreover, music has long penetrated deeply into the life of Indian peoples and occupies a high place among the arts that adorn life. There are legends about the origin of music, and numerous studies have been devoted to it. both professionals and amateurs are engaged in it.

Given this position of music, it is quite understandable that many different instruments have arisen. These instruments are often of local origin, but in many cases they were brought from Western or Central Asia along with other cultural values. The musical life of India was greatly enriched during the Muslim rule. It is known that Mogul emperors, for example, Babar, were great lovers and connoisseurs of this art. Unlike Europe, the use of musical instruments in India is restricted by a number of prohibitions.

So, for example, Hindus from the higher castes cannot play instruments that include parts of killed animals, for example, an eardrum made of skin or strings of intestines. A number of instruments are used only for cult actions, from which, on the other hand, other instruments are excluded. There are special instruments for women that men don't play, and vice versa. With the variety and richness of musical instruments, their relatively low sound quality is striking. At the same time, other attention is paid to external decoration in the form of carving, painting, and inventing bizarre shapes.

This is due to various reasons: first of all, the production of musical instruments is a side occupation of turners, carpenters, blacksmiths, who, of course, do not specialize in sound features; secondly, instrumental music does not play the same independent role in India as it does in our country; it mainly accompanies singing or is designed for crude effects, as in processions or dances; thirdly, as in all Indian culture, all attention is paid to the skill and skill of a person who extracts highly artistic results from poorly adapted material and with primitive tools. An Indian musician extracts musical figures from a simple bamboo pipe that would make a good European flutist or clarinetist think. Usually musical instruments are divided into three large groups according to the method of sound production: percussion, wind and string instruments.

Theatrical art of India Indian theater is one of the oldest theaters in the world: its theory and practice were developed around the 2nd century. BC NS. He is not only original, but also carried this originality through the thickness of the centuries. The mastery of classical Indian theater is so filigree that it is almost impossible to master it for representatives of other countries and peoples.

In general terms, Indian theater can be historically and factually subdivided into classical Sanskrit drama, folk theater and European style theater.

There is an opinion that the classical Sanskrit drama is to some extent connected with the classical Greek art, which penetrated to India as a result of the campaign of Alexander Macke of the Don (the backdrop on the theatrical stage during the formation of classical Sanskrit poetry was called "Javanica", that is, "Greek"). But there is no direct evidence for this. Be that as it may, but in the II century. BC NS. the fundamental work of the sage Bharata appears, "A Treatise on Theater Arts" ("Natyashastra"), which deals with such issues as the artistically expressive means of ritual and stage actions, including movements and chants, musical accompaniment of dances and songs, description of musical instruments, principles of creation dramatic works, theory of versification, history of stage art, etc. Natyashastra is written in poetic form of couplets.

Folk theater is another specific phenomenon for Indian theatrical art. Most likely, it arose as a kind of synthesis of the classical drama, patronized by the rulers, and the folk mysteries, supported by the common people. The theater of the European type in India has its own specifics, which distinguishes it from European theaters in our understanding of the word. In India, there are no opera, ballet or stationary drama theaters with their permanent troupe, extensive repertoire and long-term existence.

According to experts, modern Indian drama has concentrated on highlighting the following issues: the main problems of human life in India, the fall of morality and mores, the relationship of individuals in modern society. In some places there is a fusion of folk and modern theater. Plays in regional languages ​​break down language barriers and become a common Indian event. Talented playwrights who write in English also appear. Thus, Manjula Padmanabkhan's play "Bitter. Harvest" received international recognition. Despite the many difficulties it faces, modern Indian theater is undoubtedly alive and well.

Back in the Vedic period c. In India, theatrical performances were played out in the sky. At the beginning of our era, the first small theater premises appeared in the country. They did not have decorations, theatrical props were extremely poor, they were replaced by other artistic conventions: a certain gait, facial expressions, gestures.

Much attention was paid to the musical design of the performances. However, unlike modern Indian performances, which, according to European theatergoers, are oversaturated with singing, in ancient Indian monologues and dialogues, the artists recited or chanted, but did not sing. A notable feature of the ancient Indian theater was. His penchant for melodrama and pathos is inherent in the contemporary theatrical art of the country. Tragic plots were not allowed on the stage for those considerations that the tragic is enough in real life.

The theater was extremely popular in. Ancient. India, especially among the intelligentsia, but the artist's profession did not belong to the prestigious, was considered "vile", the artists themselves were sudras

The ancient Indians created a number of musical instruments, the most common of which was similar to the ancient Egyptian lyre of wine. The musicians also played the flute, other reed and percussion instruments.

Developed in. Ancient. India is also the art of vocal. Singing was most often a variation of a simple melody that literally boiled down to a single musical phrase.

The Indian art of dance has changed little over the centuries.

In ancient dances, musical rhythm and gestures also played a major role, and almost every part of the dancer's or dancer's body participated in the dance, a small movement of the little finger or eyebrow told a whole story to the initiate of the secrets of this art. The art of Indian dance is very complex. It took years of hard work to master it.

Indian theater classification

In Indian culture, there is a division of theater into several types:

• People's. This form of performing arts had a storyline based on epic and Indian mythology. The acting profession in India was not respected. This is due to the fact that the artist portrayed the gods in a funny and obscene guise. The actors were humiliated and considered the lower strata of society. But in order to gain mastery in this profession, one had to be a fairly educated person;

• The courtier. Performances were staged in the courtyards of the nobility for entertainment purposes.

Indian theater companies included both men and women. They constantly wandered from city to city, giving performances to the people.

The main elements of theatrical performances in India were dance and music. All actions of the participants in the performance were subordinated to the sounds of music. Dance is the basis of all Indian theater. It owes its origin to ritual dances, which, after development and improvement, became exactly what we see today.

Especially popular in India is the national kathakali theater, which originated in the southern part of this country. Kathakali is based on a religious ritual, and instrumental music, facial expressions and gestures are just an addition. This genre of theatrical art has several characteristics. Firstly, it always starts at sunset, and secondly, it lasts at least six hours.

Theater of India
Theatrical art in India originated several millennia ago. The bronze statuette of a dancing girl, found during excavations in the city of Mohenjo Daro, dates back to the 3rd millennium BC. NS. It was the ritual dance that became the core around which the Indian classical theater was formed. In ancient India, theatrical performances were an obligatory part of the holidays dedicated to the gods. For example, the central event of the holiday in honor of Indra (the god of thunder) was the hoisting of the "banner" of Indra. The banner was symbolized by a tree that was brought from the forest and decorated. After the ceremony, the tree was solemnly drowned in the river to give strength to the water and earth. The action was attended by wrestlers, magicians, tightrope walkers, musicians and amusers, who were called "nata" (later that was how they began to call a professional actor). The mention of nata is found in the monuments of Indian literature since the second half of the 1st millennium BC. NS. Long before the new era, a folk theater emerged in India, the performances of which are still very popular in the country.

One of the most common forms of such theater in North India is a music and dance drama called lila. The performances sometimes last more than a month. Lila's obligatory characters are evil and good demons, animals. So, in battles with evil demons, the hero Rama was always helped by the brave and cunning monkey Khanuma. The performers of the performances perform in colorful costumes and masks. The action takes place without decorations. Between episodes, funny sideshows are sometimes played - shoma. The actors, preparing to perform in the following episodes, change clothes or relax in full view of the audience. In the south of the country, another form developed - the mystery theater. It is somewhat similar to the northern leelas, but there are differences. Theatrical performances of the south are associated with the art of temple storytellers - the chakiars, who recited poetry in Sanskrit (the classical language of antiquity), and then explained the text in the language of local residents. At the same time, the chakiar used facial expressions and gestures. Over time, together with the reader, actors began to perform in the temple. They read Sanskrit texts and accompanied the recitation with dances. The performance was named kutiyattam (Skt. "Collective dance"). In kutiyattam, both the word and the dance were equally significant. In the middle of the 1st millennium BC. NS. classical Indian theater emerged. Many performances are re-enactments of myths and legends. However, a classical Sanskrit drama was also created in India. Its heyday fell on the I-IX centuries. The most famous playwrights are Bhasa, Kalidasa and Shudraka. The dates of their lives are very approximate, the information of researchers sometimes diverges for centuries. Of the thirteen works of Bhasa (2nd or 3rd century), the best is "The Vasavadatta Appeared in a Dream" - a play about the king's love for his wife Vasavadatta.

The authorship of the famous "Clay Cart" is attributed to King Shudra ke (presumably the 4th century). The play has outlived its creator a lot: it was performed on the stages of theaters around the world even in the 20th century. The work tells not about gods and demons, not about kings and their faithful wives (which is traditional), but about the courtesan actress. The heroine fell in love with the brahmana Charudatta, a man who belonged to the highest caste and, moreover, was married. Many trials fell to the lot of the lovers until they were reunited.

The troupe of the classical Indian theater certainly included Sukhtradhara (the lead actor, simultaneously the director and the director of the theater), Nati (the wife of the first actor and the lead actress), sthapaka (the first assistant, make-up artist and costume designer), pripersvika (the second assistant who carried out various assignments A special form of Indian theater is classical dance. In essence, this is not a dance in its purest form, but a drama dance, in which dance, word, and sometimes singing are combined. One of the most ancient styles, bharatnatyam, has survived to this day thanks to the temple dancers who dedicated their lives to serving the deity. They prepare future dancers from childhood: they are sent to the temple, and there the girls grow up under the vigilant supervision of the priest. The dancer, dressed in a bright, embroidered costume, first bows to the guru (teacher) and the audience, then for a short time seems to freeze, listening to the sounds of cymbals and singing, and finally the dance itself begins. It is a combination of nritya (danceras skaz) with nrita (pure dance). Then an interlude follows - I'll give it: the singer sings the song, and the dancer conveys its content underlined with expressive facial expressions and hand movements.The same line sounds over and over again, and each time the dancer gives it a different interpretation. In the 16th century, the Kathak style flourished in North India.By that time, a Muslim state had developed, within which the Hindu and Muslim arts were interrelated. Kathak is the result of the fusion of two cultures: the dances were performed in Persian costumes, but at the same time Indian legends about the love of Radha and Krishna were told. In the XVII century. in the south of India, on the edge of transparent lakes and lagoons, sandy beaches, rice fields and spice plantations, a pantomimic dance drama - kathakali - is taking shape.

The performance is given either in the courtyard of the temple or in the open air. A drama about gods and demons, their love and hate, is usually played out against a black background of the night. Actors in bright makeup (green, red and black) and masks emerge from the darkness and disappear into the darkness. Throughout the entire action, they do not speak a word. The prologue of the performance is the furious beat of the drums, which is designed to fill the actor with energy. The skill of the Kathakali performer is learned from childhood under the guidance of a guru. The actor must understand the inner essence of the depicted - whether it be people, flowers, birds, etc. Particular attention is paid to accuracy and expressiveness

India has the longest and richest theater tradition in the world, dating back at least 5,000 years. The origins of Indian theater are closely related to the country's ancient rituals and seasonal festivals. Natyashastra (2000 BC - 4th century AD) was the earliest and most complex treatise on drama and dance in the entire world. Traditionally, in "Natyashastra" it is asserted that Indian theater has a divine origin, and its origins are attributed to "Natyaveda" - the sacred book of drama created by Lord Brahma.

In "Natyashastra" various traditions of dance, pantomime and drama were brought together and codified. Natyashastra describes ten classifications of drama, ranging from one-act to ten-act. No other book of ancient times in the world contains such an exhaustive study of drama as Natyashastra. It has been guided by playwrights, directors and actors for millennia, since in Bharata Muni these three were inseparable in creating the Sanskrit drama "Natyaka", the name of which comes from the word meaning "dance." In traditional Hindu drama, the expression of the content of the play was achieved through music and dance, as well as through action, so any production was essentially a combination of opera, ballet and drama.

According to legend, the very first dance was performed in heaven, when the gods, having defeated the demons, decided to celebrate their victory. Since ancient times, Hindu theorists have staged two types of dance performances: lokadharmi (realistic), in which dancers on stage displayed human behavior, and natyadharmi (ordinary), which used stylized gestures and symbols (this type of dance performance was considered more artistic than realistic) ...

Theater in India began with a descriptive form, so recitation, singing and dancing have become indispensable elements of theater. This emphasis on narrative elements led theater in India to embrace all other forms of literature and visual arts in their physical manifestation: literature, pantomime, music, dance, movement, painting, sculpture and architecture all blended together and began to be called “ natya "or" theater ".