Bhubaneswar, Sept. 19: Theatre artiste Subodh Patnaik is trying to overturn the basic concept of how we view theatre.

With his latest play Nian - based on a true story from a tribal hamlet in Kandhamal district - Patnaik has attempted to break all barriers of traditional proscenium theatre and propagate the concept of intimate theatre.

Patnaik and his team of 13 artistes, selected from various tribal areas of the state, staged the play in Puri and Bhubaneswar. He chose small auditoriums where there was hardly any demarcation between the stage and the audience. With simple costumes and minimal use of stage settings and lighting, the artistes performed the play to rave reviews.

"We need only a 25ftx25ft area to stage the play. Such plays are not dependent on an auditorium and can be performed in any intimate theatre space," said Natya Chetana founder Patnaik.

Patnaik and his group recently staged the play at Puri's Annapurna Rangamancha and at Nalco Nagar Auditorium in the state capital. In both cases, the group did not utilise the in-built stage. They also used the empty sitting area as an extension of the stage.

The play narrates the travails of a tribal woman, who joins the Maoist movement after being tortured by those close to her. The play was produced during a three-month workshop hosted at Natya Gram, the theatre village set up by Patnaik at Khurda.

"There is a fire that burns inside each of us and when it turns into rage, it transforms an individual into a completely different person. The play symbolises the fire, which is represented through the woman - Saunri. I came to know of her story while we were touring Kandhamal. She is no longer with us, but people still remember her," added Patnaik.

Patnaik cast his actors from small villages. Nineteen-year-old Lucky from Kandhamal essayed the role of Saunri. This was her first attempt at acting and she said it helped her learn the nuances of theatre-making.

"We plan to organise theatre workshops in the state's rural areas on a regular basis. We want to involve young actors so as to provide them with an outlet to showcase their skills," Patnaik said.

The group will shortly stage the play at other locations in the state.

The group had produced a number of intimate plays earlier as well. A number of theatre groups based in Cuttack and Bhuabaneswar are also coming up with plays that are apt for intimate spaces.

Veteran theatre director Dhira Mallick feels there was a need to popularise intimate theatre in urban areas. "The city has a few big halls and most are always occupied. Some amateur theatre groups cannot afford them as well. But, theatre should flourish and it is important to utilise small spaces," he said.