Artistic work P. Rajagopal
Publications
1992. Po. Rajagopal, Pancha Putam (Five Elements), all-night original story highlighting the theme of environment (in cooperation with the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation)
2005. P. Rajagopal, Evelien Pullens and Hanne M. de Bruin, Aiyappan & The Magic Horse. Chennai (India): Tulika Publishers; includes also Tamil text of Mayakkutirai.
2014. Po. Rajagopal, Three Kuttu Plays: Parkadal (Milky Ocean), Vituttal (Deliverance) and RamaRavana. Chennai: Kalachuvadu.
Productions, tours, initiatives
1991. Vilayattin Vilaivu (War Games) – play for children
1992. Pancha Bhutam (Five Elements) - all-night original story highlighting the theme of environment (in cooperation with the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation)
1994. Veriyattam allatu Tantira Kuratti (Possession or the Gypsy’s Ruse) - all-night play highlighting the viram (heroic) element of Kattaikkuttu and highlighting on various forms of veri or “madness/possession” which impede social and ecological harmony
1995. International tour to the Netherlands
1996. Vilvalaippu (Bending of the Bow) - all-night play in Kattaikkuttu style performed by all-women cast
1997. Mayakkutirai (Magic Horse) - children's play about power (sakti) and communication.
1997. International tour to The Netherlands
1998. Mahaparatam (Mahabharata) - 9-hour production of the epic Mahabharata performed by a group of 60 Kattaikkuttu actors and actresses on the occasion of the celebration of India's fifty years of independence.
1999. Kattaikkuttu Summer School, Haymarket Theatre, Leicester, UK
2000. Curates South Indian Theatre Festival together with Hanne M. de Bruin. This five night-long Festival introduces wide range of Indian theatre, dance and puppetry forms—traditional, folk and contemporary—to predominantly rural audiences, but also to urban and international theatre enthusiasts
2001. Jeya Vijaya - written & produced for the 11th Kattaikkuttu Festival
2002. Parkadal (Milky Ocean) - contemporary parody in Kattaikkuttu style on the theme of the churning of the ocean performed by the Sangam’s repertory company
2002. Contacting the World, Liverpool
2002. Establishes the Kattaikkuttu Gurukulam in Kanchipuram
2005. Co-curator of South Indian Theatre Festival held in Punjarasantankal
2005. Mayakkutirai, Veriyattam & Parkadal – 90 mins versions produced for the South Indian Theatre Festival 2005 (organized by the Kattaikkuttu Sangam) and performed by the students of the Kattaikkuttu Gurukulam (then 5 to 15 years old)
2006. International tour to The Netherlands and Belgium
2006. Inauguration of the Kuttu Kalai Kudam, the new facilities in Punjarasantankal housing the Sangam and the Gurukulam
2007. Vituttal (Deliverance) - adaptation of Rabindranath Tagore play performed at the Rabindra Utsav 2007, Kolkata
2008. Get In! A young people’s led theatre forum, Liverpool, organised by Arts Council of England (with Hanne M. de Bruin and 4 Kattaikkuttu Girls)
2008. Contacting the World, Liverpool
2008. Initiates Kattaikkuttu Young Professionals Company; its members are senior students and graduates of the Gurukulam
2008. Azhiyaa Cottu (Inalienable property) – produced for the Sarva Shikshya Abhiyan Program, Kanchipuram District
2010. Ulakam Ulankaiyil (The World in Your Hand – 45 minutes play to create awareness about rights with regard to mobile telephony among rural consumers (commissioned by Chennai based Consumers organization on behalf of TRAI
2011. RamaRavana (90 mins) – produced for the 2011 Ramayana Festival of Adishakti Theatre, Pondicherry
2011. Abhimanyu – original play (all-night) developed to build the repertory of the Kattaikkuttu Young Professionals Company; sponsored by the Ministry of Culture
2012 . Tripurakkali – all-night extension of Vituttal, P. Rajagopal’s adaptation of a Rabindranath Tagore play; sponsored by the Ministry of Culture under the Tagore Commemoration Scheme
2013. Subhadra Kalyanam — traditional all-night play performed by the Kattaikkuttu Young Professionals
2014. Tukil – produced for “An Evening of Kattaikkuttu: Appreciating Tamil Theatre” at the Music Akademi, Chennai
2015. 25th anniversary celebrations Kattaikkuttu Sangam
2015. Draupadi Kuravanchi — produced for Shraddha and performed on 4 consecutive nights at Narada Gana Sabha, Chennai
2015. Krishna’s Embassy — produced for Urur Olcott (alternative Markazhi) Festival commissioned by T.M. Krishna
2016. Pakatai Tukil (Dice and Disrobing), all-night production adapted from the traditional play
2016. Mayakkutirai (Magic Horse) by the junior students of the Kattaikkuttu Gurukulam
2017. Retake of all-night Abhimanyu (adapted and directed by P. Rajagopal)
2017. Retake of Pancha Bhutam written and directed by P. Rajagopal; performed by junior students of the Kattaikkuttu Gurukulam
2017 . Kattaikkuttu Workshop at Delhi Public School, Pune, as part of Junoon Arts Encounters at Schools
2017. Karnatic Kattaikkuttu, experimental production in collaboration with T.M. Krishna, Sangeeta Sivakumar and their ensemble of musicians, conceptualized by P. Rajagopal and TM Krishna; Mumbai, St. Andrew’s Auditorium; produced by First Edition Arts
2018. Workshop for students of Conservatoire national supérieur d'art dramatique (CNSAD) Paris, France
2018. Royal Sacrifice—all night play performed by the Kattaikkuttu Young Professionals Company
2018. Karnatic Kattaikkuttu @ Annual Performing Arts Festival of the Kattaikkuttu Sangam and at Serendipity Arts Festival, Goa
2019. Karnatic Kattaikkuttu @ Kochi Biennale, Kochi; Rangashankara Theatre, Bangalore, Prince of Wales Museum, Mumbai and Kalakshetra, Chennai
2019. Guest lecturer Kattaikkuttu Semester Course @ Performing Arts Department of Ashoka University, Sonipat, Haryana (Feb-Mar 2019)
2019. On site workshop for Ashoka students (Mar 2019)
2019. Magic Horse performed by students of the Kattaikkuttu Gurukulam at Naradagana Sabha, Spaces (commissioned by Shraddha).
2019. Workshop for professional French actors of La Commune, Centre dramatique national Aubervilliers.
2019. Subhadra’s Marriage (all-night version) (December 2019)
2020. Karna Moksham commissioned by Rustom Bharucha for Singapore theatre director Tze Chien (January 2020)
2020. Draupadi Kuravanchi (all-night version) performed by the junior students of the Kattaikkuttu Gurukulam (January 2020)
2020. Guest lecturer Kattaikkuttu Semester Course @ Performing Arts Department of Ashoka University, Sonipat, Haryana (Jan-April 2019)
2020. On site workshop for Ashoka students (Mar 2020)
2020. Magic Horse. Utsavam 2020. Dakshinachitra.