Margi Theatre

The Margi Theatre in Trivandrum is an important feature of the city; not just because it is one of the major landmarks in the cityscape, but also because it is one of the establishments in the city that serves to further a crucial aspect of the Malayali and other traditional performing arts from other states too. However, that is not the only function of the Margi Theatre; it is also one of the chief centers of Entertainment in Trivandrum.

The Margi Theatre at Trivandrum was first set up in the year 1970 to serve as a performance center and a platform to act out the various Indian classical theatrical arts. Initially, the Margi Theatre in Trivandrum served to further the performances of dances such as Kuchupudi, Bharathanatyam, Odissi, Mohini Attom, Manipuri, Koodiyattom, Kathakali, Kathak, Arjuna Nritham and Chakiarkooothu; dance sramas like Mudiyettu; and music such as VedicMusic, Thevaram and Hindustani classical music. The purpose of the Margi Theatre of Trivandrum was to showcase art forms from different states that had never been performed out in the city of Trivandrum.

By the year 1974, the Margi Theatre of Trivandrum had quite established itself and become a full fledged traditional "Gurukul" style learning establishment. This meant that the students and teachers lived under the same roof on a daily basis. It then became a centre for instruction in Kathakali. Over the years the Margi Theatre in Trivandrum grew and got to be associated with famous names like Mankulam Vishnu Namboodiri and the Padmashree holder, Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair, to name a few. Also, the Margi Theatre in Trivandrum went beyond the Kathakali instructions and diversified into teaching music types and dance-dramas too.

This, however, does not go to say that the Margi Theatre in Trivandrum only had famous instructors and teachers; the Margi Theatre in Trivandrum also churned out several well known performers too. Some of the more popular names who learnt at the Margi Theatre in Trivandrum are Inchakattu Ramachandran Pillai, Oyoor Ratheesan, Nandakumar, Retnakaran and Oyoor Ratheesan.