Right from its inception Margi has made every effort to expand the horizons of Kerala’s art forms by conducting performances and demonstrations in various parts of the country and abroad. This is in addition to regular performances in the Margi campuses in Thiruvananthapuram. The Margi troupe has performed extensively in several countries from 1980 onwards. They include Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Germany, Japan, U.K., Italy, the U.S, Frane. Spain, etc.

If you are interested in conducting a performance in your place please contact:

The Secretary
Margi
Near Fort
Thiruvananthapuram
Tel:
Email: info@margitheatre.org

Past Tours

Sweden - August/September,1987

"Indian Manifestation in Sweden" (Festival of India series). Eleven traditional Kathakali plays were staged in different centres in Sweden, with an average performance duration of 3 hours. One programme stretched to the full home duration of 6 hours (all night). Was very well received with very wide and detailed press coverage about the art and the fourteen member Margi group. Indian Sponsor, ICCR, New Delhi.

Italy, USA, Hong Kong - September,1996 - November,1998 - Cross Cultural (fusion of arts) Shows)

Koodiyattom featured in a fusion of arts venture, along side with artistes from Japan, Korea, Bali and Indonesia. The artistic direction was by practitioners of the Noh theatre of Japan, (having a lot of similarity with Koodiyattom), Jin Hi Kim and Richard Emmert. Titled 'Dragon Bond Rite', it was first staged in Italy (Bellagio Centre) in September,1996. There were several stagings in the US including one at the prestigious Kennedy Centre in Washington DC in June,1977. The Asian premiere was in Hong Kong (November,1988).Dragon Bond Rite was a great success at the international level.

The two Indian artistes were from Margi - Margi Madhu (Acting) and Unnikrishnan Nambiar (Percussion, 'Mizhavu').


Japan - August,1999

Three Kathakali programmes were staged in Japan by a 12 member Margi group led by Shri. S. Srinivasan

France - November,1999

A twelve member Margi group (Koodiyattom), led by Dr. Sudha Goopalakrishnan had a monthlong tour of France. The programmes Nangiarkoothu by Margi Sathi and Koodiyatom by the group, drew full houses at principal theatres in Paris. There were programmes /workshops at several centres in France. Altogether a very successful tour which incidentally paved the way for recognition of Koodiyattom by the UNESCO-

The foreign sponsor was veteran Kerala theatre enthusiast Ms. Milena Salvini of Mandapa, Paris.

Spain - June, 2000

A twelve member Margi Kathakali group led by Shri.S.Sasikumar presented Kathakali in a Festival of classical theatre under the auspices of the City Council of Valledolid. The foreign sponsor was Ms.Monica La Fuente.

Berlin,Paris, and Valledolid (Spain) - June,2001

A twelve member Koodiyattom group of Margi led by Ms. Sudha Gopalakrishnan presented Nangiarkoothu and Koodiyattom for the German Festival at Berlin and also at the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris and at the City of Valledolid in Spain.

Foreign sponsors- Ms. Milena Salvini of Mandapa Paris and Ms. Monica La Fuente of Spain.

European Tour 2002

A 12 member Kathakali group led by S.Sasikumar had a three month long tour in Europe covering Spain, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Holland and Cyprus during August-October. The entire program was sponsored by ICCR Govt. of India.

Paris (UNESCO Headquarters), October,2001

For featuring the proclamation in May 2001, by the UNESCO, of Koodiyattom as one of the 'Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity, Koodiyattom was staged in ctober,2001, by a representative group of Koodiyattom artistes from all the Koodiyattom centres in Kerala. Koodiyattom legends Guru Padmashree Ammannoor Madhava Chakiar and Guru P.K.Narayanan Nambiar performed along side other artistes, before an international audience of art lovers numbering over 500 including all themembers of the U.N.General Assembly; the occasion being the 31st General Conference of UNESCO. The Margi artistes who performed in this historic event were Margi Sathi, Usha and Sajeev Narayana Chakiar. The group leader was Dr. Sudha Gopalakrishnan.

South Korea

A 11 member Koodiyattom group of Margi led by Dr.P.Venugopalan and K.Prabhakaran Nair presented Koodiyattom at Seoul .

Japan

A 13 member Kathakali group of Margi led by S.Srinivasan, Secretary presented Kathakali at Japan, North Korea, and Hong Kong & Indonesia. The program was sponsored by ICCR.