This
is a complete form of entertainment in itself, containing the elements
of music, dance, song, dialogue, local features, stock characters
such as the sutradhar (the narrator, even the manipulator)
and the vidushak (jester, clown), and plots that the audience
is familiar with. The subject matter is invariably mythological episodes
and renowned love stories that are linked to contemporary concerns
by the sutradhar. The vidushak takes the liberty that
all of his ilk can - that of lampooning local leaders and prevalent
social practices. The complexity of the clown character lies in his
ability to remain within his social and cultural context without being
absorbed by it. The message to be conveyed can be easily done so behind
the veil of garish makeup and couched in humor. For instance, the
clown figure Vidusaka of the staged Mahabharat does
not exist in the epic itself. This bald dwarf is important for purposes
of dissemination through this very direct medium. Nonetheless, folk
theatre often enough did not abandon the sublimity of its roots that
were firmly entrenched in classicism. The grand dance- dramas are
as much folk theatre as are the rural entertainers that convey their
message despite their boisterousness.
