Theatre Stage Design

The traditional epic performance of ‘Ramlila’ is a thematic narrative as cyclic play of 10-30 days, constructed for huge mass gatherings during Dussehra festival, across Northern India. The inter - relationship between performer and audience sees diverse manifestations across regions, constructing shared collective memory; one among the many is—engaging the audience with notion of freedom that you can choose your vantage point or move freely in the crowd. The proposed studio studied how the performance space in Ramlila is constructed temporarily for mythological imagination from several case studies in proximities. As a point of departure, the play was taken from its usual performance space of open ground to the Ghats of Banaras, designed for temporary construction. The challenge was to select a spot on the ghats, suited best to recreate the world of imagination, with interior design tools to curate the event, including gathering and dispersal of mass.