Street Theatre as Democratic Politics in Ahmedabad

Abstract

This work examines the politicized use of street theatre by an adivasi (indigenous) community in the city of Ahmedabad, India. We consider Chharas’ deployment of theatre as a socio-spatial tactic in two interlocking registers: first, as a means through which to enact a re-scripting of criminalized subjectivity in the post-colonial moment; second and equally, to advance the practice and potential for democratic politics—a space for constructive encounter and dialogue across difference. We argue that performance furthers the staging of affirmative subjectivities, while providing a mechanism to challenge who has the right to be seen and heard within a public sphere. This article draws on ongoing collaborative research in Gujarat.