To celebrate its 21st anniversary The Kala Chethena Kathakali Theatre Company one of the world’s foremost Indian dance companies presents a UK tour of Kathakali: classical dance-drama from South India featuring legendary Kathakali master Kalamandalam Gopi.

Kathakali - meaning ‘story play’ - embraces drama, dance, music, visual arts and ritual to create one of the world’s most exotic, visually exciting, and powerful forms of theatre. Colourful costumes and elaborate three dimensional make-up (known as ‘chutti’) magically transform the actors into gods, kings, devils and princesses, allowing them to tell universal stories of the struggle between good and evil through gesture, emotion and expression.

Ancient and classical in nature, Kathakali embodies centuries of Asian tradition and culture. It is not simply a dance-drama but an act of devotion combined with physical virtuosity and symbolic storytelling.

Kathakali originated in the temples of Kerala, South India, over 500 years ago, and most of the characters and stories are derived from Hindu epics. Spiritual, social and personal issues form the basis of the stories, and many topics have resonance with modern life: tales of war, power, single parent families, gambling, homelessness, murder, theft, love, marriage, forgiveness and loyalty are all touched on.

The Kala Chethena Kathakali Theatre Company, featuring visiting internationally renowned artists from Kerala, South India - including world famous Kathakali master, Kalamandalam Gopi - celebrates its 21st anniversary year with this ten week UK tour, taking in venues from Somerset to the isolated villages of Scotland. Formed in 1987, the company is now the foremost exponent of Kathakali, and this tour offers a rare opportunity to see such eminent artists perform this exceptional, legendary artform, and experience extraordinary non-western theatre and culture.

Tour Dates

Friday 19 September: The Brewhouse Theatre, Taunton
Box Office: 01823 283 244; Tickets: £12.50/£10.50/£8.50, 60+ £1
off/concs £2 off; Time: 7.45pm

Sunday 21 September: Horniman Museum, Forest Hill, London SE23
Box Office: 020 8699 1872; Tickets: FREE Time:

Monday 22 September: Quay Arts Centre, Newport, Isle of Wight, Hampshire
Box Office: 01983 822 490; Tickets: Time:

Thursday 25 September: Winchester Discovery Centre, Jewry Street,
Hampshire
Box Office: 01962 840 440; Tickets: £14/£12 concs; Time: 7.30pm

Friday 26 September: Forest Arts Centre, New Milton, Hampshire
Box Office: 01425 612 393; Tickets: TBA; Time: 7.30pm

Tuesday 30 September: Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Oakham, Rutland
Box Office: 01572 758 654; Tickets: Time:

Wednesday 1 and Thursday 2 October: University of Lincoln, Lincolnshire
Box Office: 0844 888 4414; Tickets: Time:

Friday 3 October: Bourne Grammar School, Bourne, Lincolnshire
Box Office: 01778 422 288; Tickets: Time:

Sunday 5 October: The Gatehouse Theatre, Stafford, Staffordshire
Box Office: 01785 254 653; Tickets: Time:

Tuesday 7 October: Arena Theatre, Wolverhampton, West Midlands
Box Office: 01902 321 321; Tickets: Time:

Friday 10 October: Forum Twenty Eight, Duke Street, Barrow in Furness,
Cumbria
Box Office: 01229 820 000; Tickets: £12/£10 concs/£5 children; Time:
7.30pm

Saturday 11 October: Djanogly Theatre, Lakeside Arts Centre, University
Park, Nottingham
Box Office: 0115 846 7777; Tickets: £15/£12; Time: 8pm

Monday 13 October: North London Collegiate School, Edgware, Middlesex
Box Office: 020 8952 0912; Tickets: Time:

Tuesday 14 October: Rose Bruford College, Sidcup, Kent
Box Office: 020 8308 2616; Tickets: Time:

Wednesday 15 October: Camberley Theatre, Knoll Road, Camberley, Surrey Box Office: 01276 707 600; Tickets: £16.50/£14.50 Friends; Time: 8pm

Thursday 16 October: Brighton Festival of World Sacred Music, The Old
Market, Upper Market Street, Hove, East Sussex
Box Office: 01273 709 709; Tickets: TBA; Time: 7.30pm

Sunday 19 October: Musicport World Music Festival, The Spa,
Bridlington, Yorkshire
Box Office: 0845 373 2760; Tickets: Time:

Monday 20 October: Hartlepool Borough Council, Hartlepool, Cleveland
Box Office: 01429 890 000; Tickets: Time:

Tuesday 21 October: Alnwick Playhouse, Alnwick, Northumberland
Box Office: 01665 510 785; Tickets: Time: 2pm and 7.30pm

Wednesday 22 and Thursday 23 October: Hartlepool Borough Council,
Hartlepool, Cleveland
Box Office: 01429 890 000; Tickets: Time:

Friday 24 October: Queens Hall Arts Centre, Beaumont Street, Hexham,
Northumberland
Box Office: 01434 652 477; Tickets: TBA; Time: 8pm

Monday 27 October: The Aros Experience, Portree, Isle of Skye,
Scotland
Box Office: 01478 613 750; Tickets: £12/£10; Time: 7.30pm

Tuesday 28 October: Town Hall Elgin, Elgin, Moray, Scotland
Box Office: 01343 562 600; Tickets: Time:

Wednesday 29 October: Universal Hall, Findhorn, Moray, Scotland
Box Office: 01309 691 110; Tickets: Time:

Thursday 30 October: Black Isle Leisure Centre, Black Isle, Scotland
Box Office: 01381 621 252; Tickets: Time:

Friday 31 October: Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, Teangue, Isle of Skye, Scotland Box Office: 01471 844 207; Tickets: £12/£8 students/£5 children;
Time: 7.30pm

Saturday 1 November: Glen Urquhart Hall, Drumnadrochit, Scotland
Box Office: 01456 450 155; Tickets: Time:

Wednesday 5 and Thursday 6 November: James Arnott Theatre,
GilmorehillG12, 9 University Avenue, University of Glasgow
Box Office: 0141 330 5522; Tickets: £8/£5; Time: Wednesday: 7.30pm;
Thursday: 2pm

Monday 10 November: Bacup Leisure Hall, Bacup, Lancashire
Box Office: 01706 875 550; Tickets: Time:

Tuesday 11 November: The Windsor Suite, King George’s Hall, Northgate,
Blackburn, Lancashire
Box Office: 0844 847 1664; Tickets: £10/£7.50/other concs available;
Time: 7.30pm

Thursday 13 November: St Georges Hall, Bridge Street, Bradford, West
Yorkshire
Box Office: 01274 432 000; Tickets: £10/£8 concs; Time: 2pm and
7.30pm

Friday 14 November: National Centre for Early Music, St Margaret’s
Church, Walmgate, York
Box Office: 01904 658 338; Tickets: £12.50/£10 concs/£3.50 students;
Time: 7.30pm

Tuesday 18 November: Wyeside Arts Centre, Builth Wells, Wales
Box Office: 01982 552 555; Tickets: Time:

Wednesday 19 November: Theatr Hafren, Newtown, Wales
Box Office: 01686 625 007; Tickets: Time:

Thursday 20 November: The Queens Hall, High Street, Narberth, Wales
Box Office: 01834 869 323; Tickets: £12/£10; Time: 7.30pm

Friday 21 November: University of Wales, Newport, Wales
Box Office: 01633 432 800; Tickets: Time:

Sunday 23 November: St George's Bristol, Great George Street,
Bristol
Box Office: 0845 40 24 001; Tickets: £9/£5; Time: 4pm

Sunday 23 November: St George's Bristol, Great George Street,
Bristol
Box Office: 0845 40 24 001; Tickets: £9/£5 under-18s; family ticket
available; Time: 4pm

Wednesday 26, Thursday 27 and Friday 28 November: Swanmead Community
School, Ilchester, Somerset
Box Office: 01460 524 31; Tickets: Time:

Saturday 29 November: Salisbury Arts Centre, Bedwin Street, Salisbury,
Wiltshire
Box Office: 01722 321 744; Tickets: £12/10, workshop: £5; Time: 8pm

www.kathakali.net