Chhapra, June 10: Theatre is not just a mirror of life, it can be a source of livelihood and forces us to revaluate our conventions and values.

Such was the opinion of participants at the 15-day-long workshop organised at Braj Kishore Kindergarten School by the district unit of Indian People’s Theatre Association (IPTA). Fifty artistes from all over the state are taking part in the workshop that started on June 8.

Amit Ranjan, district president, IPTA, told The Telegraph: “This workshop is an effort to promote the technical development of theatre. We had reached a point of stagnation and were staging plays that date back to 1983 or 1984. We are trying to create ripples in still water.”

Apart from artistes from the district, Vandana Vashishta and Pravin Gunjan, both former students of the National School of Drama (NSD), New Delhi, will speak on acting, direction and other aspects of theatre to the participants in the workshop.

Gopalganj resident Dhananjay Chaubey, a participant in the workshop, said he is benefiting a lot from this workshop. “It has filled me with confidence,” he said.

Chaubey added: “I have always been fascinated by acting. I have performed in more than 100 plays so far. But here, I am able to grasp the nuances of acting.”

Katihar resident Kumar Saurabh, 19, said: “When I was a child, my father took me to Delhi to see the NSD building. That inculcated in me the yearning to become an actor. I have been acting since then and joined IPTA. In this workshop, I have been introduced to the finer nuances of acting.”

Pratima, a resident of Chhapra, said she has been attached with IPTA for the past six months, but she has been in acting and singing for a longer time.

She said: “Acting not only makes you famous but gives you a sense of satisfaction. Through theatre, we try to convey a message to the society and help mould the attitude of people.”

Aarti, also from Chhapra, said drama reflects the absurdities of the society and at the same time challenges the convention. It also helps change the society.

Veteran theatre artiste and director Vipin Bihari Srivastav, who has penned more that 40 plays, including Tu Dal Dal Main Pat Pat and Nautanki, said: “With the help of symbolic characters, drama works on many levels. On one hand, it portrays the struggle of educated youths against redundant social conventions and on the other it reflects the ugly face of exploitation and suggests ways to overcome them.”