Girish Karnad's Hayavadana

Analysis of Text and its Theatrical Performance

Abstract

I here discuss the theatrical performance of Girish
Karnad's Hayavadana (1971) with reference to the text. I have minutely
observed the inclusions, extractions, replacements, erasure, and
substitutions in the performance and find that this 44-minute 40-seconds
theatrical performance does not include certain scenes and characters
which are present in the text. For example Ganesha, Female Chorus, and
the Dolls and their respective scenes are excluded for stage performance
and hence make it difficult for the audience to understand the play
completely. I have, therefore, focussed my discussion on the analysis of
these absent characters and scenes. More specifically I have based my
discussion on the use of masks in the theatrical performance as compared
to their employment in Karnad’s text. Themes emphasised through masks
in the text as well as in the performance are suggested in terms of
Yakshagana tradition, modernity, post coloniality, and the Indian nation.
I have explored how Karnad makes the traditional folk forms of Indian
drama modern in their exhibition so that the local and traditional themes
become suitable and effective for his present audience. The study aspires
to encourage researchers fascinated in similar domains and calls
attention to contemporary Indian theatre and English literature,
promising inter disciplinary research