UNNAYI VARIER'S NALACARITAM

The play NALACARITAM belongs to the repertoire of kathakali, the classical dance drama of Kerala. Kathakali as a mode of performance resorts to a highly stylized method of acting, with exaggerated costumes and forceful expressive musical and mythic accompaniment. The source texts of Kathakali Plays called attakkathas, are adaptations of episodes from the puranas and other well-known legends of India.

About the Author

Sudha Gopalakrishnan took her doctoral degree in Comparative Drama, the classical Indian and western theories of comedy. Apart from being a trained dancer of Kathakali Sudha Gopalakrishnan has done intensive research on the dance and drama traditions of Kerala. Her works include from the Comic to the Comedic: the traditions of Comedy of Bhasa and Shakespeare and translation of Krishnagiti, the source text of Krishnattam.

Unnayi Varier is said to have belonged to Irinjalakkuda near Trichur in Central Kerala. The performance of Nalacaritam is based on Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair's Nalacaritam Attaprakaram. Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair was a great maestro who dominated the Kathakali stage for over five decades.