Kalamandalam RamanKutty Nair Ashan

Kalamndalam Gopi Ashan
and Kalamandalam Vijayakumar

Kathakali Stage

Kalamandalam Vijayakumar

Kalamandalam Vijayakumar

A Kathakali Work Shop

Kalamandalam Govinda wariyar ashan doing make-up

Kalamandalam Barbara vijayakumar Doing Make-up In Kerala Kalamndalam

Actors Kalamandalam Gopi and Kalamandalam Nelliyode

Chutti by Kalamandalam Barbara Vijayakumar

Kathakali workshop and talk

Marguritte Mackley - Centre Ocean Stream performer,

Kalamandalam Barbara Vijayakumar

1 Holland Rd,

Woolston,

SOUTHAMPTON
ENGLAND

SO19 9FW. UK

Tel: +44 (0)23 8042 0114
Fax: +44 (0)23 8044 4468

Mobile: 07740123070

Email: info@kathakali.net

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ABOUT US

The Kala Chethena Kathakali Company – Established 1987
Reg: Charity: 1039412
Reg Company - 29338525

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BACKGROUND

In 2008 we will celebrate 21 years of touring Kathakali in the UK.

As a touring Company we have been able to bring Kathakali to communities in small rural areas in addition to inner cities all over the country.

The Company was founded in 1987 by KALAMANDALAM VIJAYAKUMAR, Kathakali actor, and KALAMANDALAM BARBARA VIJAYAKUMAR, Kathakali Chutti - make up artist.

We strive to make Kathakali accessible to all through imaginative projects, a strong education programme, regular full Company national tours and an advice service.

The original aim was to establish an international touring base in the UK and India to bring Kathakali to as many people as possible, whilst maintaining its ancient culture and traditions.

Since 1987 we have provided exhibitions, hundreds of performances and thousands of workshops in the UK, India, Germany, Brazil, Indonesia, Finland, Canada and Ireland.

The Company consists of top international artists from Kerala, India to include – the great Kathakali master Kalamandalam Gopi, Kalamandalam Nelliyode, Kalamandalam Vasu Pisharoty, Sadanham Krishnan Kutty, Kalamandalam M.P.S Namboodiri to name a few.

Kalamandalam Unnithan, Kalamandalam Mohankrisha, Kalamandalam Krishnadas, Kalamandalam Rajendren have worked with the Company for over 10 years and have brought Kathakali to thousands of people from the Isles of Scilly to the Highlands of Scotland.

Their extraordinary skill and generosity is recognised as a major contribution to the success of Kathakali in
Britain today.

The Kerala Kalamandalam, Kerala, South India provided our training and established the high standard of our work.

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THE KALA CHETHANA KATHAKALI
COMPANY DIRECTORS.

KALAMANDALAM VIJAYAKUMAR - Kathakali actor, Tour Manager and Company Co-Director.

Kalamandalam Vijayakumar joined the Kerala Kalamandalam in 1975, to be instructed by the great Gurus, Kalamandalam Padmanabhan Nair , Kalamandalam Ramakutty Nair and Kalamandalam Gopi .

He began touring outside of India as a member of the Kerala Kalamandalam Troupe in 1977.

The late guru Kalamandalam Padmanabhan Nair Ashan - a renowned and revered Kathakali actor and teacher, guided Kalamandalam Vijayakumar to specialise in the Kathakali female character. (In Kathakali all the characters are traditionally performed by men).

Kalamandalam Vijayakumar has the ability to communicate directly with the audience, through his depth of feeling and instinctive portrayal of the female character.

He was a guest artist of Eugenio Barba in the 1986 ISTA Conference, Denmark and now provides performances and workshops World wide.

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KALAMANDALAM BARBARA VIJAYAKUMAR– Kathakali Chutti -make up artist, visual artist, Project Manager and Company Co-Director.

Kalamandalam Barbara Vijayakumar, joined the Kerala Kalamandalam in 1974, after studying for eight years at the Rochdale College of Art and Winchester College of Art, UK, where she specialised in colour and abstract performance art.

On graduation from Art College Barbara travelled overland to Kerala to complete a full time course in Chutti - the three dimensional Kathakali make-up.

Trained by late KALAMANDALAM GOVINDA VARIYAR ASHAN - the most respected Chutti artist in the history of Kathakali. Barbara graduated in 1976 as the first woman and non-Indian to be a fully trained Chutti artist.

Before leaving Kerala in 1976 Barbara was able to apply the Chuttis single handed for a full night Kathakali performance at the Kerala Kalamandalam witnessed by senior gurus of the institution, Padmanabhan Nair Ashan and Ramankutty Niar Ashan.

With 32 years of experience, Barbara is responsible for applying the Chutti for THE KALA CHETHENA KATHAKALI COMPANY.

Barbara is a competent educationalist and is responsible for designing and structuring the highly successful KATHAKALI in EDUCATION PROGRAMME to explore Kathakali in its classical form.

Kalamandalam Barbara is able to provide the link between Western and Eastern culture due to her experience as a Kathakali Chutti – make up artist and visual artist.

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FROM A CREATIVE BACKGROUND

Barbara founded the experimental Abstract Performance Art Company - CENTRE OCEAN STREAM in 1977 to explore the living language of colour.

Centre Ocean Stream Performance Art Company toured throughout the UK from 1977 to 1989.

Now the concepts of Centre Ocean Stream work with Kathakali to explore the idea of living colour through visual images, movement, gesture and abstract performance.

Kathakali and Centre Ocean Stream provide specially designed VISUAL ART BASED PROJECTS involving Kathakali as a base for developing abstract concepts common both the visual and the performing arts.

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Our Kathakali Art Projects include:

1] Kathakali into Abstract Art

2] Kathakali into Music

3] The importance of the visual image in theatre

4] Visions from sound.

We strive to make Kathakali accessible to all through imaginative projects, a strong education programme, regular full Company national tours and an advice service.

We are keen to work with schools, theatres and local authorities to increase the understanding and enjoyment of Asian theatre and culture.

If you would like to know more please contact us, we would be happy to discuss ideas.

Please contact