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In
its earliest forms, theatre in Kerala encompassed performing arts like
Kootiyattam, which called
for an erudite audience, along with folk art performances like the 'Kakkarissi
Natakam'.
Inspired by the Christian religious plays of Europe, the Christians of
Kerala evolved their own theatre called the
Chavittunatakom. Pure
Malayalam theatre is captured in all its essence in Kerala Varma Valia
Koithampuran's 'Abhignana Sakunthalam' (1898 AD), a translation of
Kalidasa's 'Sakunthalam'. Drama was used as a powerful tool by social
revolutionaries like V.T.Bhattathirippad. Towards the first half of the
20th century various political and revolutionary groups began to use drama
as an effective medium to propagate their views.
Since the forties, a number of professional drama troupes have been
functioning all over Kerala. The KPAC, a theatre troupe formed for the
propagation of communist ideology, deserves special mention.
The seventies saw the emergence of a new school of drama called the
'Thanathu Nataka Vedi', purporting to revive the native elements of the
art forms of Kerala.
However, in the eighties, street plays stole the show. The Kerala Sasthra
Sahitya Parishad used street plays as an effective medium to popularise
science among the masses.
Street plays were also used to generate mass support on issues like
Literacy, Environment Protection and Women's Liberation. The School of
Drama functioning under the University of Calicut offers courses in
Theatrical Arts.