After decades, Kannur's Peringonnu writes its own comeback on stage

Sreekandapuram: Till about four decades ago, Chengalayi Peringonnu was a village that lived and breathed theatre.

In those days, female leads and other women performers were hard to find. But the villagers went to extraordinary lengths to keep their stage alive, even bringing actresses from outside the district. The older generation here still remembers a time when men slipped into sarees to portray women characters, so that no performance would be cancelled for want of a cast.

Over the years, several local arts clubs tried to revive that legacy in theatre during library anniversaries and other community celebrations. Yet, the continuing shortage of actresses forced many of those attempts to fade away.

That long-lost legacy, however, is finally poised for a revival. Eight women from the village have stepped forward to act in Aura, a social drama to be staged at 8 pm on February 15 as part of the annual `Pattulsavam' festival at the Chuzhali Bhagavathi Temple in Pulimpidavu.

The production is being presented under the banner of the Pulimpidavu Kalasamithi of Peringonnu. For all eight women, this will be their first appearance on stage.

Written by Ajayan Valakkai and directed by Shiju Kallyadan, the play features 25 performers, including children. What makes it even more remarkable is that it is entirely homegrown. The background score and lighting are managed by local newcomers, while the stage backdrop has been designed by another resident of this village. It is, in every sense, a production rooted in the village, created by its people and for its people.

The one-and-a-half-hour production also includes a musical segment to be presented by children, which aims at drawing the younger generation towards theatre and ensuring that the village’s spirit in the tradition continues to flourish.