Academy Of Fine Arts
One of the oldest fine arts academies in India, the Academy of Fine Arts was established in 1933 by Tagore's muse Lady Ranu Mukherjee. In the 1950s, the institution moved to its current location. Inside the sprawling arts space is one of the most popular theatre auditoriums in Kolkata. In the 1960s, it became a hub for the Group Theatre Movement of Kolkata, with plays by the iconic Shambhu Mitra, Utpal Dutt, Soumitra Chatterjee, and Shaoli Mitra. "Group Theatre of Kolkata" refers to a practise that began at theatres in the Indian city of Kolkata in the 1940s as an alternative to theatres that focused primarily on amusement.
The location is a bonus, with St Paul&rsquos Cathedral a stone's throw away. Nearby are the art and culture complexes of Rabindra Sadan and Nandan, and the Victoria Memorial.
The institution is home to a sizable collection of works of art and paintings by well-known Bengal School artists, including Gaganendranath Tagore, Jamini Roy, Nandalal Basu, and many more. In addition, the academy frequently hosts exhibitions of modern Indian painters' paintings.
More information here.
Address 2 Cathedral Road, Kolkata
Circania
Built in 1976, this theatre hall in north Calcutta was once a hotspot in the theatre scene in Kolkata. The area of north Calcutta (or old Kolkata) was once a hub of Bengali theatre. Circarena is the only rotating arena theatre in Asia with a performance platform that could be mechanically raised and lowered from a pit, and it was built in the manner of a colosseum. The theatre has seen iconic Bengali names like Utpal Dutt, Rabi Ghosh, Haradhan Banerjee, Sabitri Chatterjee and &lsquocabaret queen&rsquo Miss Shefali on stage.
Address 6, Raja Rajkrishna Street, City College area, Kolkata
GD Birla Sabhaghar
If you are a theatre nerd, then keep an eye on this venue , next to the Birla Temple. It sees productions from other cities in India as well as international theatre troupes. Their annual festival is a highlight in the cultural calendar of Kolkata and is packed with powerful plays and brilliant performances. If you enjoy cultural programmes with a good bite of social and political commentary served with a generous dollop of tongue-in- cheek humour and wit, the festival should definitely be on your agenda.
More information here.
Address 29, Ashutosh Choudhry Avenue, Ballygunge, Kolkata, West Bengal 700019
Padatik
This experimental theatre company with an auditorium in Kolkata has seen many collaborations with troupes and directors from other Indian cities as well as from abroad. For instance, veteran Polish dramatist Wlodzimierz Staniewski directed the Padatik theatre group for Henrik Ibsen&rsquos &ldquoThe Master Builder&rdquo.
More information here.
Address 6, 7 A, Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Rd, Kolkata