File pictures of plays from Italy and Croatia at the international theatre festival last year

Cuttack, Sept. 23: Thirteen countries will take part in the international theatre festival that will be conducted as a part of the 20th Indian Theatre Olympiad here. The Olympiad is organised by Utkal Yuva Sanskrutik Sangh in the city in September and October each year.

The fortnight-long Indian Theatre Olympiad — a festival of plays in English, Hindi and several regional languages — showcases various trends in Indian amateur theatre every year. However, an international theatre festival consisting of groups from as many as 13 countries remains the special attraction of the Olympiad this year.

The Olympiad will start from October 1 and continue till October 16 at Saheed Bhavan. “Around 3,500 performing artistes, including dramatists, actors, playwrights and choreographers of over a 100 theatre and dance groups from more than 20 states are expected to take part in the theatre Olympiad this year,” dramatist and Sangh general secretary Kartik Chandra Rath told The Telegraph.

“More than 150 plays, along with dance performances, will be presented during the multi-lingual drama festival, which will continue till October 11. Like previous years, this year too we expect the support of the state tourism and culture department to organise the Olympiad,” Rath said.

The categories of plays to be presented are contemporary, humorous, historical, mythological, ancient, folk, lyrical and musical, experimental, children’s play, mime and pantomime. “The drama festival that has been taking place for 19 years with increasing number of participating groups is a testimony to the fact that Indian amateur theatre is still pulsating with life,” said Odia film critic Pradip Sahu.

An all-India classical and folk dance competition and an all-India vocal and instrumental music competition will also be held during this period. Many dancers, vocal and musical artists will present Odissi, Bharatnatyam, Kathak, Kuchipudi, Mohiniattam, Manipuri and other classical and folk dance recitals in the event.

“The theatre Olympiad in Cuttack has become a veritable platform for national and international amateur performing arts communities,” Sahu said.

The International Theatre Festival, which is also a part of the Olympiad, will start from October 12 and continue till 16.

“This year, 13 theatre groups from Armenia, Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Egypt, Iran, Italy, Nepal, Pakistan, Poland, South Africa and Spain are expected to participate in the festival,” a Sangh spokesperson said.

Last year, eight theatre groups from Russia, Finland, China, Thailand, Argentina, Iran, The Netherlands and Greece had taken part in the theatre Olympiad.

Another source said in the past 19 years around 2,000 dramas scripted by more than 1,700 playwrights and about 64,000 amateur artists and directors belonging to various socio-cultural groups of India and other countries have taken part in the theatre Olympiad.