PLAYWRIGHTS’ PARADE

Pioneer of Tamil theatre

RANDOR GUY

STAGE The “Boys’ Company” that Sankaradas Swamigal started became a cultural movement.


Trendsetter: Sankaradas Swamigal

Sankaradas Swamigal was one of the two founding fathers of the Renaissance of Tamil Theatre. A mighty creative soul, he lifted Tamil Drama out of the quicksand it had sunk into in the early years of the 20th century. He was not only a playwright. He was much more — stage actor, play producer and director and the guru of many theatre troupes. Many were his disciples who shone brightly in the stage and screen firmament. Above all he was an innovative trend-setter. He introduced a unique system named “Boys” Companies

It was a theatre troupe in which all roles — male and female, young and old, strong and weak were played by boys — mostly in their pre-teens. As a matter of principle no woman of…