Badal Sarkar was a Bengali playwright and director who created the Third Theatre, an intimate, portable form staged in the round without a proscenium, sets, or ticket barriers. Living from 1925 to 2011, he wrote influential plays like Evam Indrajit and took theatre directly to the people.
Key takeaways
- Badal Sarkar lived from 1925 to 2011.
- He founded the Third Theatre movement.
- His theatre was performed in the round, without a proscenium.
- Key plays include Evam Indrajit, Michhil, and Bhoma.
Who was Badal Sarkar?
Badal Sarkar began with proscenium plays but grew convinced that theatre should be direct, cheap, and close to its audience. He built a new practice, the Third Theatre, that could happen in a room, a courtyard, or a field.
What is the Third Theatre?
The Third Theatre strips away stage, sets, and ticketing. Performers work in the round, often surrounded by the audience, using only their bodies and voices. This made theatre portable, affordable, and intensely immediate.
His legacy
Plays like Evam Indrajit spoke for a disillusioned generation, while Michhil and Bhoma carried theatre into the streets and villages. Sarkar’s ideas influenced experimental and activist theatre across India.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Third Theatre?
An intimate, portable theatre performed in the round without a proscenium, created by Badal Sarkar.
What is Badal Sarkar’s most famous play?
Evam Indrajit is among his best known.
Why did Sarkar leave the proscenium stage?
To make theatre direct, affordable, and close to ordinary people.
Cover: original artwork for Theatre of India.