Bhubaneswar, Nov. 12: The state's theatre enthusiasts have developed a liking for regional language plays.

The annual Purva Ranga theatre festival, held at Rabindra Mandap this week, witnessed packed audiences where plays in Bengali, Bhojpuri, Hindi, Kannad and Assamese were staged by theatre groups from across the country.

Rabindra Bharati University Theatre Repertory's Fagun Rater Galpo was hugely appreciated. The play is an adaptation of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream that incorporates Bengal's rich folk elements.

The Bhojpuri play Bedesia by Nirman Kala Manch, Bihar and the Hindi play Chatuskon by New Delhi-based Aakar were also staged.

"I was worried that about understanding the language of the plays but I was wrong. I watched all the plays staged at the festival and the actors spoke a lot through their body movements and expressions. So, language was not a problem," said a 35-year-old theatre enthusiast Ananta Beura.

A few weeks ago, another regional theatre festival was also held in the city where troupes staged plays in various regional languages and dialects prevalent in the state.

Theatre activists feel such initiatives give the audience diverse choices.

"The audience get bored of watching plays in Odia over and over again. Variation is interesting once in a while," said theatre director Subodh Patnaik.

The interactive sessions and observers' involvement - a highlight of the Purva Ranga festival - was cancelled this year due to shortage of funds.

Every year, the state government allots Rs 50 lakh to the Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi to conduct various theatrical activities, including three workshops, the monthly Natyadhara fest, and two theatre festivals outside Odisha and World Theatre Day celebrations.

But, the funds have been halved to Rs 25 lakh this year. This led to several calendar events being chalked off from the annual calendar.

"We have requested the government for additional funds in the supplementary budget," said Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi secretary Dhira Mallick.

Meanwhile, the budget allotted for music, dance and other cultural shows remains intact. The Odisha Natya Sangh is quite critical of the government's attitude towards theatre.

"At a time when theatre directors are struggling to uplift the scenario in the state, the lack of government support is a major hurdle. Theatre is equally important for cultural development like music and dance," said Sangh secretary and theatre director Abhinna Routray.