The Role of the theatre in understanding the socio – cultural circumstances: a study based on udayar Midukku Drama by Kanapathppillai

Abstract

Plays of Kanapathippillai do not lag behind in politely showing the richness of the period. Kanapathipillai was the first to write plays in colloquial language in the history of Sri Lankan Tamil drama. His writings between 1935 and 1950 bear witness to the fact that his plays focus on the splendor of the period in question. They capture the social condition existing at the time he wrote them and convey the social values to the audience vividly and realistically. The present study pertains to a play by Kanapathipillai: Udaiyar Midukku. This study is based on the researcher’s personal experience of watching the performance of the play, examining the reviews and analyses of the performance and the script, first-hand information obtained through discussions with the director, dramatis personae and the audience as well as secondary data gleaned from books on dramatic performance and criticism according to the norms of qualitative research. The the present study intends to explore how the social and cultural values of a particular the period is conveyed through dramatic creations and personae.