Make-up and costume as a silent text

Abstract

Considering the importance of the study of make-up, costume and ornaments in theatre, the present work tried to probe into the practice of it in folk theatre. The preliminary observations on folk theatre made to realise that make-up, costume and ornament survived more effectively and consistently through generations in folk theatre. The consistency of the make-up, costume and ornament is such that, it itself became the identity of folk theatre. It is because of make-up, costume and ornament that the audience identify the play to which genre it belongs to, such as, Kuchipudi Yakshaganam, Cindu Yakshaganam, Veedhi Bhagavatam, Melattoor Bhagavatam, etc,.This observation being the driving force for the study of make-up, costume and ornament, Cindu Bhagavatam is taken as the subject matter for research in this thesis. The Cindu Bhagavatam is a theatrical form of the community of the Madigas and performed by the Cindus, a sub-sect within the Madigas. The tradition of Cindu Bhagavatam is quite popular in Teiangana and Rayalaseema regions and is said to be in vogue for the past several centuries. In order to understand the nuances of make-up, costume and ornament, in Cindu Bhagavatam the present work is carried out. A modest attempt has been done in this thesis to bring out various aspects of make-up, costume and ornament, and how they reflect the verbal and non-verbal text, which are owned by the community as exclusive right to perform