Kolkata based theatre group Shomporko was conceived in 2018 by Jitaditya Chakraborty, and since then been actively engaged in performances beyond the proscenium stage. After having performed at cafes, rooftops and on the street, they are all set to take their production Uro Chithi to a moving tram car, something the city has seldom witnessed before. Due to be staged tomorrow, we speak to the members ahead of their performance about the challenges of performing in alternative spaces, audience engagement and their inspiration. Excerpts:
Tell me about your theater group Shomporko
We are a young group comprising mainly of twenty one college students hailing from different parts of the city. Shomporko was conceptualised in 2018 and ever since we have been continuously engaged in performance spaces beyond the proscenium stage. We have performed on the streets, inside cafes as well as on prominent rooftops of the city. For our upcoming project due to be staged on the 25th, a moving tram car is our space of choice, and we believe it is something that the city has never seen before.
What made you choose the name Shomporko for your theatre group?
People are always glued to their screens, and always on the go in today’s time. They seldom find time for the ones they call their own, trying to meet deadlines of different sorts. Shomporko literally translates to “interpersonal relationship”, and it evokes a sense of belonging within the human kind. Relationships are what we strive for as they build the very essence of our existence. We hope to make people connect over thoughts as they witness our performances.
What is your upcoming performance Urochithi all about?
Urochithi has previously been executed within cafes and this will be our first ever performance inside a tram car. Urochithi is about love, companionship and longing. There’s an interesting part at the end of this play where we engage the viewers in a conversation and ask them to perceive the ending of this play in their own way.
Tell us about the past performances of Shomporko?
Our previous production Juddhoseshe, was a rooftop performance. It was again a story about connections. It was a story about two different couples in love, one of them resides in Kolkata while the other couple is from a war town area and they share their love through letters. It is whether or not they will be able to successfully meet the people they love overcoming obstacles of their own kind. Saare Jahan Se Achha is another production we actively engage ourselves in, it is a story of the religio-political scenario of the country.
What are the challenges of performing in different spaces?
We believe theatre needs to move beyond the proscenium stage if it has to thrive. There are technical challenges of course, but we try to go DIY to meet up the requirements that we have to compromise with for performances like these. We want the audience to participate in the performance, so even before the play starts we communicate with the audience and tell them that they are a part of our performance. They move as the play unfolds, with the performer, as we shift perspectives. We keep experimenting with textures and heights no matter where we are performing to give the performances different dimensions.
Who do you consider your inspiration?
Our director Jitaditya Chakraborty has been studying theatre and been engaged in it for long. A lot of professors from National School of Drama are actively engaged in taking theatre beyond the proscenium stage, we definitely look up to them. Badal Sircar also talked about the third form of theatre where stories can be told everywhere. So his theories have influenced us heavily as well.
What: Uro Chithi by Shomporko
Where: Tollygunge Tram Depot to Ballygunge; Ballygunge Tram Depot to Tollygunge
When: September 25 & 26
Contact: +917076577852