Utpal Dutt and Political Theatre in Postcolonial India

Utpal Dutt was an Indian playwright and theatre-maker who used political theatre to re-examine colonial history. He incorporated new developments in Marxist thinking, such as those of Antonio Gramsci, to conceptualize his protagonists as insurgent subalterns. His plays about peasant revolts and armed anti-colonial movements were a response to the urgency of a decolonial approach to staging history.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 84 pages
Publication date: 11 April 2024
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Utpal Dutt, a prominent playwright and theatre-maker in postcolonial India, played a crucial role in reimagining colonial history through political theatre. Dutt viewed political theatre as a part of the broader Marxist project, and his integration of new developments in Marxist thought, particularly those of Antonio Gramsci, allowed him to portray his protagonists as insurgent subalterns. A decolonial approach to staging history remained a central aspect of Dutt's artistic endeavor. This essay delves into Dutt's deep engagement with Marxism and explores how this sense of urgency was translated into the writing and production of plays that depicted the peasant revolts and armed anti-colonial movements that occurred during the British rule. By drawing on contemporary discussions in political theatre regarding the autonomy of the spectator and the performance of history, the author situates Dutt's political theatre within a historical context.

Utpal Dutt, a renowned playwright and theatre-maker in postcolonial India, emerged as an early advocate for rethinking colonial history through political theatre. Dutt's vision of political theatre as part of a larger Marxist project set him apart, as he incorporated new developments in Marxist thought, particularly those of Antonio Gramsci. This integration enabled Dutt to portray his protagonists as insurgent subalterns, challenging the dominant narratives of colonialism. A decolonial approach to staging history remained a central theme in Dutt's artistic endeavors. This essay explores Dutt's profound engagement with Marxism and investigates how this sense of urgency was translated into the writing and production of plays that depicted the peasant revolts and armed anti-colonial movements that occurred during the British rule. By drawing on contemporary debates in political theatre regarding the autonomy of the spectator and the performance of history, the author situates Dutt's political theatre within a historical context.

Utpal Dutt, a prominent playwright and theatre-maker in postcolonial India, played a crucial role in reimagining colonial history through political theatre. Dutt viewed political theatre as a part of the broader Marxist project, and his integration of new developments in Marxist thought, particularly those of Antonio Gramsci, allowed him to portray his protagonists as insurgent subalterns. A decolonial approach to staging history remained a central aspect of Dutt's artistic endeavor. This essay delves into Dutt's deep engagement with Marxism and explores how this sense of urgency was translated into the writing and production of plays that depicted the peasant revolts and armed anti-colonial movements that occurred during the British rule. By drawing on contemporary discussions in political theatre regarding the autonomy of the spectator and the performance of history, the author situates Dutt's political theatre within a historical context.

ISBN-13: 9781009264075