Sahyande Theatre
About us
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Sahyande Theatre
Sahyande Theatre was co-founded by Sankar Venkateswaran and Satoko Tsurudome. The two, while running a theatre company Theatre Roots & Wings since 2007 in urban context, moved to the jungles of Attappadi, Kerala, South India, in search of alternative theatre practice that is independent and sustainable. In 2012, the two began the process of building a theatre-dwelling with the support of the indigenous communities of the region. Sahyande Theatre was named after its location in Sahyadri mountains (Western Ghats).
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About
architect
Kavita Srinivasan
Sahyande Theatre was designed by architect and theatre artist Kavita Srinivasan. Born and raised in Papua New Guinea, Kavita studied architecture and city planning at MIT. She is also a trained actor, and acted in several of Theatre Roots & Wings productions in the past including The Water Station and My Name is Tamizh.​
Kavita lives and works in Victoria city, Canada.
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Community
Sahyande Theatre is made possible by the surrounding communities and wider networks of exchange. The space functions as the focal point where villagers of different languages, religions and backgrounds meet not only with each other, but also with people from outside village, region, state or country. Theatre is a commons—a place to meet, think and create together. It's a process in itself.
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What we do
We use theatre as a tool to bring people together, opening space for encounter, reflection and shared thinking through performance and dialogue.
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What more we do
Beekeeping
During the pandemic, we began beekeeping with an aim to be self-generative and sustainable while living life and running theatre.
Activities
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Madurai Veeran Koothu
2014
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Madurai Veeran Koothu is a koothu (theatrical folk performance) from the secluded Thadikkundu village in Attappadi, Kerala. It is a tribal performance which was popular in the tribal hamlets in the region, especially among Kurumba communities until television and cinema replaced the live performance culture. Sahyande Theatre took initiative to revive it and bring life to the form of the popular Kurumba story enacted and danced by the troupe from the village. It was presented in Attappadi, then toured to Mumbai as part of ADI RANGAM-The National Tribal Festival of Performing Arts and Crafts. (19-21 March 2014)
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Shogo Ohta's
Water Station
2016
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Theatre Roots & Wings's The Water Station (dir. Sankar Venkateswaran), premiered and toured extensively in India in 2011, was recreated in 2016 with the invitation from Kyoto Performing Arts Center at Kyoto University of the Arts and presented ​at Kyoto Experiment 2016 Autumn.
2016
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Time that went without knowing
Time That Went Without Knowing is a theatre piece inspired by Henrik Ibsen's Peer Gynt. It was created with and performed by the indigenous youth from the neighbouring communities of Sahyande Theatre. The project "Tribal Ibsen Project" was made possible with the support from Ibsen Scholarships, Norway.
(Premiered in Thrissur, on 10&11 August 2016)
Body/Source
2017
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Body/Source (Udal Uravu) is a performance piece created by Chandrashekara K. and Sankar Venkateswaran. It was presented as a part of the programme at Kochi-Muziris Biennale.
(Premiered in January 2017)
Udal Uravu
Uyirezhuthu
Udaleduppu
2017
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Udal Uravu Uyirezhuthu Udaleduppu is a performance piece created by Anirudh Nair, Chandrashekara K., Gopalan Krishnan and Sankar Venkateswaran, as the special inaugural show for International Theatre Festival of Kerala 2017.
(Premiered in March 2017)
Criminal Tribes Act
2017
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Criminal Tribes Act, which was in effect from 1871–1952 under the colonial British government in India, sought to crack down on nomadic tribes and their descendants by proclaiming them “criminals,” with effects still resonating today. In the play, two actors speak before the audience in their respective native languages, English and Kannada. The stories of their own origins, memories, and research reports gradually throw into relief the structures of numerous phenomena, including the social discrimination that has emerged with the process of modernization, as well as the reinforcement of Caste system. Attending to these proceedings, the audience comes to confront the discriminatory structures lurking within the individual and social unconscious.
(Premiered at Zurich Theater Spektakel in 2017)
Tokyo University
IHS program
2017
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A group of students from Tokyo University together with a few selected artists from India had a 4-day workshop at Sahyande Theatre as part of the Integrated Human Science Program for Cultural Diversity (IHS). The workshop was lead by Japanese theatre actor Tomoko Ando, Prof. Yasuo Kobayashi, and Sankar Venkateswaran.
(14-17 September 2017)
Subsequence Magazine
2020
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During the pandemic, Sahyande Theatre was featured in Subsequence Magazine, an experimental bilingual publication from Japan, which covers a wide range of arts, crafts and culture from all sorts.
(Volume 03 2020)
Indian Rope Trick
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2020
Theatre production Indian Rope Trick focuses on the mechanics of the 'trick' woven into our contemporary society.
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As Chiaki Soma, director of Theater Commons Tokyo says “It was an experience getting down to something primordial to watch the piece under such circumstance, of people coming together, witnessing as a group, and creating a collective myth.”
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It premiered at Kyoto Performing Arts Center at Kyoto University of the Arts on 22 and 23 February 2020, also presented at Theater Commons Tokyo on 27 and 28 February 2020)
V/A - Various Artists
online magazine
2021
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An article titled "Beyond the Backyard" on Sahyande Theatre co-written by Sankar Venkateswaran and Satoko Tsurudome was published on online magazine V/A - Various Artists, an initiative of Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia.
(June 2021)
Every Brilliant Thing
2022
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Written by Duncan Mcmillan with Jonny Danahoe, directed by Sankar Venkateswaran and performed brilliantly by Shaji Oorali, the Malayalam adaptation of Every Brilliant Thing is an uplifting play about depression, about loss and grief, connecting with each audience member who becomes a part of the show.
My Name is Tamizh
2022
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Malaysian playwright Leow Puay Tin, Jaffna-based actor Nicholas Kirutharshan, Kathmandu-based actor Kavita Srinivasan and director Sankar Venkateswaran came together to rehearse for My Name is Tamizh before premiering at Theaterfestival Basel 2022 on 26&27 August 2022.
(August 2022)
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Read the review on Nacht Kritik here.
"Goodbye, and good wishes for your success―a response to Annihilation of Caste―a speech prepared by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar at the invitation of Jat-Pat Todak Mandal of Lahore in 1936 but NOT DELIVERED owing to the withdrawal of the invitation because the organising committee found the contents of the speech unbearable"
2022
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Prior to the final rehearsal and premier in Kyoto, the team took a week-long research residency at Sahyande Theatre.
The theatre piece is co-directed by Nagara Wada and Sankar Venkateswaran, performed by Takeda Aki, Chandra Ninasam and Anirudh Nair.
Produced by Kyoto Performing Arts Center of Kyoto University of the Arts.
(November 2022)
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Sahyande Theatre Inaugration!
2023
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Sahyande Theatre made its official debut on 31 March 2023, with a gala opening performance by Kapila Venu. The inaugural program was followed by a music concert by Matchume Zango (Mozambique) and Sunilkumar P.K. on 01 April, and Chakkarapanthal by Appunni Sasi on 02 April.
(31 March-02 April 2023)
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Portals Next
2023
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Sahyande Theatre is a part of the international network of artists and cultural institutions, Portals Next, partnered with Kaserne Basel (Switzerland), National Arts Festival (Makhanda, South Africa) and camaguTshawe (Gqeberha, South Africa), and supported by Pro Helvetia, the Swiss Arts Council.
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The 3rd round of gathering took place at Sahyande Theatre in March/April 2023.
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Participating artists and practitioners include:
Maria Jose Cifuentes and Cecilia Checa (NAVE, Chile); Eisa Jocson (Philipines); Sandro Lunin (Kaserne, Switzerland); Venuri Perera (Sri Lanka); Bouchra Triki (Tunisia); Sankar Venkateswaran and Satoko Tsurudome (Sahyande Theatre, India), Aurelien Zoukri and Marielise Aad (Hammana House, Lebanon), Matchume Zango (Nzango Artist Residency, Mozambique), Vusi Mdoyi (Impilo Mapantsula, South Africa); Boyzie Cekwana (camguTshawe, South Africa); Rucera Seethal (National Arts Festival, South Africa).
(The initial project took place between 01 December 2020 and 01 April 2023)
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Do you know this song?
Residency & Global premier
2023
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Delhi-based theatre artist Mallika Taneja's theatre production Do you know this song? opened at Sahyande Theatre after a 2-week residency.
(April 2023)
In memory of
Rajeev Vijayan
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2023
Our dear colleague and friend Rajeev Vijayan was the backbone of Sahyande Theatre; from an absolute nothingness to gathering people, arranging construction materials, to negotiating with authorities. We have endless stories, good, funny and miserable together. Since he left us on 15 August 2021, we hold an annual gathering in his memory. (15 August 2023)
My Name is Tamizh:
Three Lives
2023
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Recreation of My Name is Tamizh, newly titled as My Name is Tamizh: Three Lives took place at Sahyande Theatre, and it was presented at Munich Volkstheater as part of Theaterfestival Spielart 2023.
(October 2023)
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ARTHART Magazine
2023
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A biannual Indian arts journal, ARTHART magazine in its October 2023 issue featured two articles on Sahyande Theatre—"Space Odyssey" by Sankar Venkateswaran and "Opening the Box" by Kavita Srinivasan who designed Sahyande Theatre.
IM TOD—In My Time of Dying
Indian premier
2024
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Two theatre-makers meet again on a stage after their death. They get to talking, they remember their own experiences with dying, they become contemplative and they take it easy, they explore their theatrical habits, questioning the sense and nonsense of the artistic play with death. And what about death in real life? Departing from formative autobiographical events, Sankar Venkateswaran and Leon Pfannenmüller examine personal and societal perspectives on death, on care for the dying, and the processing of death. How do we die? How do we mourn? And how do we prepare for it? How do we deal with dying bodies? »All are equal in death« – is that actually true, as well taking into account that the two theatremakers have different cultural backgrounds? Meanwhile, the lines between autobiographical fact and fiction, between pain, consolation and absurdity are blurred. »Im Tod - in my time of dying« seeks dialogue from the lowest common denominator: the fact that we are all going to die and have limited time to live. Based on their intercontinental exchange and research around these questions, this piece was developed during rehearsal phases at Sahyande Theater in Attappadi, southern India, and at Theaterhaus Jena. The result is an intimate conversation between two friends, which deals with diverse associations and experiences of death, exploring questions about the last great journey, needs of dying persons, and rituals of mourning and letting go. Let's talk about death!
A co-production with Theaterhaus Jena (Germany) and Sahyande Theatre, with support from Goethe-Institut
(Indian premier: 8-10 February 2024)
CHOWK
artist-in-residence
2024
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Singapore-based dance company CHOWK had a 10-day artist-in-residence at Sahyande Theatre in the month of August for their upcoming work, with artistic director Raka Maitra along with Caroline Chin, Wei Ying , Mitu Das, and Saran Jith.
norsk shakespeare tidsskrift
publication
2024
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Scandinavian theatre journal norsk shakespeare tidsskrift in its nr. 2-3, 2024 edition featured Sahyande Theatre and its activities, written by Norwegian theatre director Kai Johnsen, along with a review of Sahyande Makan: The Elephant Project, by Norwegian theatre critic Therese Bjørneboe.
Hagoromo
Global premier
2025
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Drawing from a Japanese folktale and popular noh play of the same title, Hagoromo (The Feather Robe) is a theatre of celebration.
Kudiyattam performer Kapila Venu and Japanese actor Micari, with musician Bindhumalini and Idakka player Unnikrishnan, in all their diverse artistic grounds, come together to invigorate life. In the shelter of fiction, theatre allows us to free ourselves from everyday life, and explore new ways to relate and engage in society.
Hagoromo is an offering, and a hopeful act of resistance to the world we live in. It’s a prayer—a whisper to our own ears.
(Global premier: 1-3 February 2025)
Minnunnathellam
2025
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Sahyande Theatre organized a special show of Minnunnathellam, a gloriously funny and warm play tackling mental illness, for the nursing students, as part of their study camp organized by Attappady Social Service Organization.
(01 May 2025)
Mathrubhumi weekly
2025
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An article on the journey of artistic director Sankar Venkateswaran was published in Mathrubhumi weekly.