India will host international Theatre Olympics in 2018 for the first time.
The 51-day carnival of theatre, beginning February 17 next year, will simultaneously be held in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Chennai and 10 other cities across India.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to inaugurate the mega international event here in Delhi while the President of India will conclude it in Mumbai on April 8. Names of the cities, other than the five metropolis, will be finalised by a national advisory committee to be set up for detailed planning of the event.
The Theatre Olympics is an international festival that brings together productions of well-known theatre practitioners from around the world. It was established in Delphi, Greece, in 1993 at the initiative of noted Greek theatre director Theodorus Terzopoulus.
While the first country to host the Theatre Olympics was Greece in 1995, the last mega carnival of theatre was held in Poland in 2016. India will be hosting the eighth edition of the Theatre Olympics next year.
“It gives me immense pleasure to announce that India will be hosting the eighth edition of Theatre Olympics 2018. While best of the theatre productions from around the world will be showcased during the mega event, India will get an opportunity to showcase the richness and diversity of its culture to the world through the international carnival of theatre,” Union Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma said while addressing a press conference here.
The National School of Drama (NSD) will organise the mega international event in coordination with the Union Culture Ministry.
“We hope that the carnival of theatre is inaugurated by our Prime Minister (Modi). This mega event shall host about 500 shows in 15 different cities in India including Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru and Chennai,” Sharma added.
The NSD had evinced its interest before the international committee of the Theatre Olympics to host the eighth edition of the carnival.
“I always wanted to bring Theatre Olympics to India. I failed when I made first attempt few years ago. After I joined the NSD, I began making efforts attempt for it. It is a great feeling of joy and happiness that the prestigious event of Theatre Olympics is taking place in India,” NSD Society chairman and an internationally acclaimed Manipuri playwright and theatre director Ratan Thiyam said.
The institute’s director Waman Kendre said the NSD will soon invite applications from the theatre practitioners in India and around the world for their participation in the 2018 Theatre Olympics.
“A national level committee will soon be set up for shortlisting of the groups and plays. Any one interested in taking part in the mega event can apply,” he added, while replying to a question.
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