Bhubaneswar, March 26: A host of theatre festivals are being staged at various places across the state to celebrate World Theatre Day on Sunday.

The culture department will celebrate the day on Sunday by staging an adaptation of George Orwell's Animal Farm at Rabindra Mandap in the city.

The play will be presented by trainees of a theatre workshop in association with the Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi, and the Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi.

Bhuban- eswar's troupe International Theatre is also hosting a three-day-long theatre festival at Bhanja Kala Mandap to mark the occasion. The festival will conclude on Sunday.

In another development, the 13th National Theatre Festival, Canfest, concluded in Paradip today. It had got off to a colourful start at Jayadev Sadan in Paradip on March 19. This year, the weeklong festival staged plays by selected Indian directors. The festival started with academician and director of National School Drama Waman Kendre's play Mohe Piya.

Adapted from a Sanskrit script by Bhasa, the play narrated the story of Hidimba, a female character from the Mahabharat. This was followed by a play by Bhubaneswar-based theatre group Rangabhumi. Other plays staged during the fest include Naganndan by theatre activist Kavalam Padmanavan from Desakshi, New Delhi. Among other troupes, cultural organisation Canmass that hosted the fest showcased the play Ratnabarsha directed by Dalgovind Rath.

"Last year, we had showcased plays by female directors. This year we have tried to bring together the leading luminaries of theatre from various parts of the country under one platform. We hosted the festival ahead of the World Theatre Day to promote theatre," said Canmass secretary N. Mishra.

A three-day theatre festival focusing on masks was held at Natya Gram, the theatre village at Khurda, from March 23 to 25. Hosted by theatre group Natya Chetana, the festival saw a number of plays using mask as a dramatic device in theatre.

"At the workshop, one could learn to move the body while wearing the mask. Masks have been an integral part of theatre for a very long time. Even in India, masks have been used extensively in a number of plays. Our aim is to revive the tradition," said Subodh Patnaik, founder of Natya Chetana.

A two-day theatre festival was also hosted by Koraput-based theatre group Nandanik. Four theatre groups, two each from Odisha and Bengal, showcased their plays at the fest.

Bhubaneswar-based theatre group Shatabdira Kalakara showcased Upendra Bhanja's epic story Koti Bramhanda Sundari at Rabindra Mandap on Wednesday.