Imphal, Jan. 3: Theatre lovers of the Northeast will get the first-of-a-kind opportunity to view various forms of theatre from the continent when Imphal hosts a five-day Asian theatre festival from January 7-11.

The festival will be hosted by Manipur’s Chorus Repertory Theatre (led by internationally-acclaimed playwright-director Ratan Thiyam) in association with the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR). Five groups, including the host and Nandikar of West Bengal, have confirmed their participation.

Foreign groups, which have confirmed participation, are Japan’s famed Black Tent Theatre, Vietnam’s National Theatre Group and Philippine’s Nebuyan Peace Project.

Thailand initially agreed to join the festival, but withdrew citing paucity of funds. The group from Japan would stage The Lineage directed by Natsuko Kiritani.

Nebuyan Peace Project will present Geejay Arriola’s Panaw, while the Vietnamese group will stage Moonlight in a small courtyard. Ratan Thiyam has selected his acclaimed play Ritu for the festival, while Nandikar will present Rudra Prasad’s Shanu Roy Choudhury.

For Chorus Repertory director Ratan Thiyam, it is a dream come true. “I had been dreaming of bringing all theatre groups from Asian countries since the past decade. I was seriously thinking of realising the dream during the Repertory’s silver jubilee, but that did not happen because of lack of funds,” Thiyam, former director of the National School of Drama, told reporters yesterday.

He said national or international theatre festivals involved huge sums of money. The Manipur government, which is already reeling under a funds crisis, is unable to extend financial help, he said.

“The ICCR has been helpful all along, but it could not bear the desirable amount. Theatre groups in Manipur are perhaps the poorest,” Thiyam said.

“We are depending on contributions from friends and patrons to meet the expenses. The ICCR will bear the travel expenses for outside groups. We are also thinking of paying some amount to the participants, even if we cannot bear the entire production cost. The amount to be paid to the groups will depend on the gate collection,” he said.

Black Theatre’s The Lineage would open the festival, with two to three daily shows at Chorus Repertory’s auditorium called “The Shrine, Playhouse” located at the group’s picturesque complex in Imphal. The ticket rate has been fixed at Rs 50.