ABSTRACT
The arguments of this chapter stem from an understanding that there exist certain contesting principles between Western realistic/naturalistic dramatic tradition and Indian folk theatres. Though Western theatre in its present-day orientation has covered some ground towards amalgamating Indian theatrical traditions, an evaluation of Western theatre in its realistic/naturalistic mode becomes important because it has been and still is the most dominant form of theatrical theory in the West. Hence Western realistic/naturalistic vein is taken in the study as a reference point against which new developments in performance theatre are defined and measured. When this model of dramatic presentation was imported to colonized society of India, the native society felt the full impact of this urge and as a consequence it was imitated with added vigour by those sections of society which were most close to colonial power structure. North Indian folk theatres, as recipients of colonial cultural metropolis, inherited these models which often clashed with their traditional representative principles and hence a kind of compromise was soon reached. Under this adaptation, folk theatres effectively contested notions of realism as inherent in Western realistic theatre, while subsuming some of its influences in the process.
