From Europe to Kerala: The man who learnt Kathakali without knowing Malayalam | INTERVIEW
“Look. Art knows no prejudice,
art knows no boundaries,
art doesn’t really have judgment in its purest form.
So just go, just go.”
is a famous quote by K D Lang.
These words find a living example in Italian theatre practitioner Mario Barzaghi, whose journey with Kathakali demonstrates how art transcends geography, language and cultural difference. He played the role of Santiago in Kerala Kalamandalam’s Kathakali adaptation of Ernest Hemingway’s 'The Old Man and the Sea', staged at the Peruvanam International Village Festival recently.
Through years of dedicated training, discipline and unwavering respect for the form, Mario proves that artistic commitment can erase barriers and build deep emotional and creative connections.
Speaking to Mathrubhumi, the Milan-based artist reflects on his enthusiasm for learning, the seriousness with which he embraced a new tradition, and his love for performance and Kathakali.
When did your journey with Kathakali begin?
I first began practising Kathakali in 1981 in Italy, when artistes from Kerala visited as part of a theatre exchange. At that time, I was working with Teatro Tascabile di Bergamo – Accademia delle Forme Sceniche, and that was my first real encounter with the discipline of Kathakali.
How did Kathakali first come into your artistic life?
It was not something I sought out personally. Our theatre director attended a major festival organised by Eugenio Barba in Bergamo, where he saw Kathakali, Balinese theatre, Odissi and Bharatanatyam for the first time. He returned convinced that our training needed to change. Instead of continuing with a Grotowski-inspired method (method, developed by Polish director Jerzy Grotowski, is a rigorous actor training system focused on stripping away theatrical artifice to find authentic expression through intense physical and vocal work, emphasizing the actor-spectator relationship in "Poor Theatre" (minimalist stage) and later evolving into participatory "Paratheatre" and "Art as Vehicle" for inner transformation), we began training in these Asian forms. That decision marked the beginning of my Kathakali journey.
Who have been your teachers in Kathakali?
My present teacher is Kalamandalam Neeraj. Earlier, I spent a short period training with Kalamandalam John and Kalamandalam Padmanabhan Nair Ashan. However, I do not think of teachers as “gurus” in the traditional sense. A guru, to me, is someone who draws a student out of darkness. Modern teachers carry many responsibilities, so I prefer to think of them as friends who are humane, yet completely professional once class begins. Friendship alone is not enough; discipline is essential.
Kathakali is known to be physically demanding. How challenging has it been for you?
Kathakali is extraordinarily demanding. In the beginning, it feels less like theatre and more like a rigorous martial discipline. The only true instruction a teacher can give is: practise, practise, practise. Today, many people have lost patience for hard effort, but classical art requires tremendous physical labour, concentration and endurance.
How frequently do you visit Kerala for training and performance?
I generally come every year and stay for at least two months. In 2004, I ruptured my Achilles tendon, which forced a long break. When I returned, I had to reset everything and start again from the basics before learning anything new. Kathakali is rooted in divine characters with extraordinary bodies, so achieving these positions is always challenging.
What does your practice routine usually look like?
My teacher conducts class, and then I spend one or two days working alone, memorising and internalising what I have learnt. Gradually, fragment by fragment, we construct a performance.
How long were you in Kerala for the production of 'The Old Man and the Sea'?
For this production, I trained for about two months at a stretch, and the work continues even now. The teachers may not require such constant rehearsal, but I do. Since I do not speak Malayalam, I must memorise every mudra, every movement and every expression precisely.
Without knowing Malayalam, how do you understand the performance text?
My teacher explains the entire dramaturgy of this text to me. I then translate and absorb it. Mudras certainly communicate meaning, but Kathakali functions on many levels: pure dance, expressive movement, visual poetry, navarasa and emotional states. Within my limits, I try to enter that complex world.
Apart from Kathakali, could you tell us about some of your other theatre projects and the themes you explore in your work?
Alongside the other members of Teatro dell’Albero, where I am the director, I have developed a show titled 'An Athlete of Heart', which examines the interplay between Eastern and Western acting traditions, highlighting the links between the two. This work has been performed in theatres, universities, academies, schools, festivals, and theatrical reviews across Italy, as well as in many countries in Europe and Latin America.
How do you approach the complexity of Kathakali, especially with its multi-layered, intricate structures?
Yes, of course. Kathakali operates on many classical parameters. There are generally three levels: one is pure dance, focusing on the legs and feet; the upper body conveys meaning, but it is essential to think about drishti (the looks) and chavittu (the rhythmic beats), the visible poetry, rather than relying on translation, which is not really appropriate in Kathakali. Then there is Navarasa, encompassing the nine emotions, along with sancharibhava, sthayibhava, and many other expressive elements. I am constantly trying, within my limits, to navigate and enter this very complex world.
How many venues have you performed Kathakali in outside India?
Performing Kathakali in Italy or Europe is very challenging. Occasionally, we perform at an academy or a university where students study the art, but opportunities to stage a full performance are limited. Very often, we also conduct workshops for students, but actual chances to perform are rare.