The Experimental Theatre Foundation

15 years of Theatre of Relevance

(1992-2007)

FLINDERS UNIVERSITY ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA,

Commissioned a research under the following title

“ An Examination of the Cultural Practices that Impact (Re) Construction of Diasporic Identities: An Ethnographic study of Experimental Theatre Foundation”

The Experimental Theatre Foundation has completed 15 years of Theatre Activism (1992-2007). Founded in 1992 by Manjul Bhardwaj and like-minded people, Experimental Theatre Foundation practices the philosophy “Theatre of Relevance”.

“I see theatre as being relevant to the context of society and one that owes a social responsibility. It’s not just art for art sake but one that caters to human needs and provides itself as a platform for expression (statement).”

---- Manjul Bhardwaj

The organisation has gone through a journey from nukkads, remote interior of grassroots, tribal belts, villages, towns, slums of metropolitan cities, well known performing venues to the international arena through performances on streets, stage, workshop and innovative thought of “Theatre as medium of Change”.

Experimental Theatre Foundation is known as a theatre movement for social change.

Ponder upon the following:

Performed more than 28 plays on more than 15,000 times nationally and internationally.
Conducted more than 208 theatre workshops all over India and Germany in which more than 10,000 potential theatre performers participated.
Initiated a novel concept of theatre workshop “ A career in Theatre”.
Explored theatre as a process to understand self, group and society.
Initiated a concept of Bal Natya Utsav by the children for the children and successfully completed 5 years. The event has been organised nationally. More than 1250 children performed 41 plays. The performances are held in Prithvi Theatre, Bal Bhavan, Karnatak Sangha and other esteemed Venues.
Initiated performances by the sufferer i.e. facilitated the exploited to express themselves.
Initiated play reading & Initiated staging of story.
Rehabilitated 1500 children from labour to formal school directly and facilitating educational process of more than 10,000 children indirectly.
Proved the thought “ Theatre as a medium of social change”.
Initiated theatrical intervention with groups working for social development and influenced them to use theatre as a strategy for change.
Evolved and practiced the philosophy “ Theatre of Relevance”. A theatre forum was organised in Hannover, Germany: Titled: “ Theatre of Relevance” from 22.05 –25.05.2003 organised by BAG Spiel & Theater and Buro fur Kultur und Medien Projekte.
Conducted a series of workshop for Senior Deputy General Managers on Strategic management through theatre. Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd., -BHEL, & Central Bank of India.
Evolved a special module of theatre on “Role of Theatre in HR” for EMPI -Business School , New Delhi.
Evolved a special module & conducted a series of theatre workshops for the Earthquake & Tsunami affected children.

Fundamentals of the philosophy “Theatre of Relevance”

“Theatre of Relevance” philosophy is initiated & practiced by Manjul Bharadwaj since 12^th August 1992.

Theatre of Relevance is:

A theatre

That is relevant to the context of the society and owes its social responsibility, not to Art just for the Art sake.
Which caters to human needs and provide itself as a platform for expression.
Which explores itself as a medium of change/development.
That comes out from the ' limits of entertainment ' to a way of living.
Which enhances itself from 'Art for the Art sake' to social concern and, become part of lives of the masses.

---- Manjul Bhardwaj

“We in society recite the potential of Theatre, but very rarely experience a theatrical performance through direct participation. By being spectators of a play, we are impressed by a performance, but by directly participating in it, the experience & impression leads to a change in our personality attitude & value”.

---- Manjul Bhardwaj

The Experimental Theatre Foundation `s

Training Intervention

Theatre Workshop

Workshop on theatre
Workshop on acting, writing, direction, back stage etc.,
A career in theatre - an orientation
Role of theatre in social development
Theatre as a medium of change
Children theatre workshop
Children theatre festivals
Workshop on the philosophy “Theatre of Relevance”
Play writing workshop
Theatrical intervention in community-theatre as a strategy for change

Review the contemporary theatrical processes and planned for the future

Theatre as a Medium of Social Change

Sensitization of rural organisers on child labour through street theatre. (Conducted for V.V. Giri National Labour Institute)
Role of theatre in convergence of services to eradicate child labour. (Conducted for V.V. Giri National Labour Institute)
Role of theatre in mobilisation to eliminate child labour. (Conducted for V.V. Giri National Labour Institute)
Towards change … Motivational Workshops for Health providers : Thane District Organised by : POPULATION FIRST
Role of theatre in developing personal sensitivity on child labour. (Conducted for V.V. Giri National Labour Institute)
Developing leadership through theatre in the marginalised groups like women in prostitution, trafficking and other atrocities through theatre. (Conducted workshop for Prerana, Mumbai)
Street theatre for development. (Conducted workshop for different social organisations for “Save the Children-UK” in Bhuj)
Theatrical exploration of living in harmony with each other and with nature-an orientation. (Conducted a series of workshop for Comet Media Foundation, Mumbai)
How to deal with personalities in crisis (Street children, children in distress etc.,) through theatre. (Conducted a series of workshop for number of NGOs in Mumbai and other parts of country)
Conducted street theatre workshop for numerous groups to develop street theatre groups i.e. Srimik Pritisthan, Kolhapur
Street Theatre workshop
What is street theatre
What is a street play
How to write a street play
How to act in a street play
How to direct a street play
How to interact with the audience i.e. how to take audience participation during and after the performance.
Community participation through street theatre
Training of trainers on street theatre
How to evolve street play from the target groups (beneficiary groups for whom a particular NGOs is working)
How to eradicate child labour through theatre. (A project School Jao Abhiyan is running since 1998. Rehabilitated directly more than 1,500 children and facilitating the educational process of more than 10,000 children directly.)
Developing youth group through theatre.
Dealing with the issue of gender sensitivity through theatre. (Conducted a series of workshop with college students i.e. NSS group, Slum youth, Middle class youth etc., for number of organisation i.e. Akshara, Mumbai)
Developing the self-concept through theatre in adolescent girls and women in difficult situation. (A series of workshop conducted for Bharatiya Mahila Federation, Thane Samiti)
Personality development through theatre.
Right to participation – a journey through theatre for children, youth, and women.
Developing the communication skills and interpersonal relationship through theatre.
Developing the personal sensitivity through theatre.
Role of theatre in social development.

Educational Institutions

Theatre as a medium of change – an orientation. “Creative Initiatives in Education Towards Building an Enduring Society” (Conducted workshop for Smt. Kapila Khandavala College of Education, Mumbai)
Participatory process through theatre.
Child centered approach – through theatre.
Spontaneity and innovation in education through theatre.
Creative ways of learning in education through theatre.
Evolving a collective process of learning through theatre.
Role of theatre in education.

Corporate Institutions

Attitudinal change and personality development-through theatre (Conducted a series of workshop for Indian Oil Corporation Ltd., Western Region, Mumbai)
Strategic management through theatre. Theatre interventions focused on (Conducted workshop for Senior Deputy General Managers-Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd., -BHEL, Noida & Central Bank of India, Mumbai )
Strategic issues – envisioning strategic thinking, creativity, innovation, risk taking, venturing into unknown.
Leadership – guiding, inspiring, teamwork, influencing.
Competition and competitiveness, Customer Service.
Change – change agent.
Personal effectiveness
Self expression – assertiveness
Receptivity – receiving feedback
Perceptivity – sensitivity to others
Action orientation – motivation to act
Subordinate development
Decision making etc.,

Human Behavioural Workshops through Theatre

A special lab on basic human processes through theatre. (Specially conducted for ISABS, Delhi region)
Role of theatre in understanding self, group.
Role of theatre in interpersonal interactions.
Role of theatre in discovering one’s dormant potential to live more effectively and meaningfully.
Channelising the creativity through theatre.
Role of theatre in developing spontaneous and instinctive interventions.
Expressing the self through theatre to heal the grievances.
Exploring the harmony in self through theatre.
Role of theatre in envisioning.
Motivational Skills - motivating self, group community through theatre.
Developing leadership skills through theatre.

For further details
Experimental Theatre Foundation, 373/ 18, Jal Tarang Society, Sector – 3, Charkop, Kandivali (w), Mumbai – 400 067. INDIA website: www.etfindia.org
Tel No. 00-91-22-2868 7552 E-mail: etf@bom3.vsnl.net.in