The theatrical culture in Malayalam state is of ancient origin. This is known even though the dramatic literature in Malayalam i.e. the language spoken in southern state of Kerala is of somewhat recent origin. Its oldest extant genre, Kutiyattam, fully established by the ninth century, may well represent the longest-surviving continuous theatrical tradition in the world. It is a system of staging classical Sanskrit plays, but not entirely Sanskrit theatre in the strict sense because the enactment contains elaborate oral elucidation in Malayalam. Still, it was Kerala`s first performing art based on written texts, and evidently served as a basic model of creative expression for all later forms in Malayalam. Yet it also differs significantly from them in being conventionally presented on raised stages within auditoriums known as kuttampalam.

This Kuttipalam is used to be built within the premises of the major temples in central Kerala. However, other indigenous but undatable traditions may be even older than Kutiyattam. Most are ritualistic in nature, centred on solo performances characterized by rhythmic movements and colourful costumes. These are often seen as presenting gods or humans elevated to deified status. The best-developed and typical examples are Teyyam of north Kerala and Patayani of the south.

Teyyam and Patayani are enacted as devotional rituals frequently connected with kavus, or temples to the goddess Kali. The performers belong to families that hold the hereditary duty or right to do these roles. These are also known as kolams. Each kolam has a specific costume of colourful dress material, ornaments made of objects obtained from nature, and an impressive crown or mutt, often considerably high or broad. A Teyyam performer of different colours applied on the face function as masks. The representation usually consists of an exhibition of the character`s traits through facial expressions supported by make-up and gestures. In some cases, episodes of a narrative are also indicated through stylized body motion. The kolams perform spatial movements and rhythmic footwork in tune with the beating of drums and generally move along the streets around the place of worship. This is accompanied by the village folk who express their devotion by shouting aloud. Many approach the kolams as devotees and the kolams respond to their appeals for blessings. Thus the Teyyam artist`s individual performance becomes part of a drama in which most of the villagers turn into active participants.

Other genres depict episodes and situations involving a number of characters, enacting mythological stories and ritualistic representations of natural phenomena or fertility cults. It deals with definite themes developed in the course of the performance. Among those with a full-scale dramatic structure, Mutiyettu is the most developed and powerful, presenting the conflict between Kali and the demon Darika.

Thus theatricalization was and is widely accepted as a normal means of expressing spiritual concepts and devotion, evidenced not only by these forms but also lesser-known, localized ones like Sanghakali, Kotamuri, Kurattiyattam, and Tolpavakuttu or shadow puppetry. More secular folk theatre includes Porattu Natakam and Kakkarissa Kali. Christians, too, evolved a composite art called Chavittunatakam by combining elements of the native and European traditions. They chose narratives from the history of Christian Europe and the actors performed rhythmic footwork in indigenous style. The more sophisticated Krishnattam and Kathakali took their final shapes in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries respectively, adopting the Natyasastra concept of classical acting. Yet, like Kutiyattam, they seem indebted to Mutiyettu, Teyyam, and earlier traditions at least with regard to costumes and make-up. The esoteric Krishnattam remains confined to the Guruvayur temple in Malappuram district, while Kathakali became very popular in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries as well. This was a national cultural icon in the twentieth century. It was also the first developed idiom of theatrical performance based on literary texts written in Malayalam. Even though Kathakali incorporated dance movements, these formed only an adjunct to the acting.

Proscenium theatre associated with Malayalam dramatic literature came into existence only in the second half of the nineteenth century. The first such play, Kalidasa`s Abhijnana-Sakuntala translated in 1882 by Kerala Varma, was staged by a troupe named Manomohanam Nataka Company. This was the first of its kind in Kerala. It appears to have been established along the lines of the commercial troupes from Tamil Nadu that used to tour Kerala regularly in those days. Naturally, the style of presentation and acting imitated that popularized by the Tamil companies. This production of Sakuntala under Thiruvattar Narayana Pillai was a stray event that did not result in the birth of a theatre. But the Tamil model influenced Kerala artists to such an extent that they organized troupes to perform similar plays in Malayalam, signifying the commencement of Malayalam theatre, as all the people know it today. The mode in which the plays inspired by the Tamil theatre were written and staged is known as Sangitanataka or `musical theatre`. It got this name from the fact that classical music formed an essential part of the productions. Even though the songs interrupted the narrative, they received prime importance and major actors were expected to be able singers. This quickly became the main attraction. The first and most successful plays in this style were T. C. Achyuta Menon`s Sangita Naishadham i.e. `Musical on Naishadha` in 1892 and K. C. Kesava Pillai`s Sadarama in 1903. Their extraordinary appeal prompted others to compose and perform similar works. The influence of this model on the masses grew so strong that even generally realistic drama began to be produced with the addition of songs.

A literary development brought about a far-reaching change. The example can be given as the advent of prose farce. Amateur groups staging many such plays marked the birth of amateur theatre and the beginning of Western influence on proscenium theatre, which soon became dominant. A new kind of representation of life, broadly naturalistic even though exaggerated, crept in along with farce. C. V. Raman Pillai, author of Kuruppillakkalari i.e. `Kalari without a Master` in 1909 and Pandatte Pachchan in 1918, introduced it. This was followed by E. V. Krishna Pillai in Koallapramanam i.e. `Spurious Document` in 1931 and BA Mayavi i.e. `Deceptive Graduate` in 1934, and N. P. Chellappan Nair in Pranaya-jambavan i.e. `Passionate Old Bear` in 1938 and Atom Bomb in 1946. They aimed at humorous or sarcastic criticism of social reality

This was followed by dramatizations of historical novels. The second phase of amateur theatre featured gradual evolution brought about by the writing of various types of plays including dramatic literature adapted from the West. These were mostly romantic in nature. Some dealt with narratives drawn from realistic and historical sources. Others ranged from problems of human behaviour to experiences of contemporary life. But the variety was not reflected in the form or style of production. This happened partly because the best works were really literary texts meant for reading, while stage-oriented scripts lacked organic unity. These include emphasizing scenes and techniques that appealed easily to the masses. The acting combined naturalism with overdramatic elements, tending to become melodramatic in the serious plays. The few plays of literary merit that appeared on the amateur stage included the reputed works of the Kainikkara brothers while T. Sukumaran Nair introduced the romantic trend. In this context Kainikkara brothers can be named as Padmanabha Pillai and Kumara Pillai.

Two important developments took place in the 1940s. These developments can be mentioned as realistic writing modeled after Ibsen, and drama protesting against social evils to bring about changes in social customs and structure. N. Krishna Pillai composed the first plays inspired by Ibsenism, followed by C. J. Thomas and C. N. Srikanthan Nair, all hailed as excellent drama. Again, they proved successful only on the amateur stage, failing to attract ordinary viewers whose tastes had been molded by the commercial theatre.

At the same time, dramatists like N. N. Pillai, P. J. Antony, and K. T. Mohamed who started their own troupes and directed plays, attracted audiences by incorporating new Western ideas and techniques. They also incorporated other innovations in their productions. In spite of this, a number of playwrights and artists strongly felt the necessity of a newer concept of drama and theatre practice. C. J. Thomas and Srikanthan Nair made the first attempts in this direction. The former, in Crime No. 27 of 1128 in 1954, presented the central narrative in the form of an artistic enactment. The continuity of this is broken by discussions of the underlying facts by two persons who witness it. Thus the play repudiated the general practice of creating an illusion on stage. Srikanthan Nair wrote a trilogy in poetic idiom giving novel interpretations to different situations in the Ramayana story, which demanded an inventive style of production.

The concept of Tanatu Natakavedi or indigenous theatre sprang up in the course of the Kalari movement, mirroring similar ideas all over India. It aimed at developing new forms based on indigenous traditions. In the beginning the theory was very vague and its details left to be worked out in actual practice. But in time, various approaches were adopted and different models evolved. One was to shape distinctly modernist drama, but relying on socio-cultural images, theatrical devices, and modes of expression associated with the tradition. Another was to use an existing form like Kathakali to tell contemporary stories. Sankara Pillai and some others involved in the Kalari movement, and some trained at the Thrissur School of Drama, pursued the first path effectively and produced a number of memorable plays. The production of Pillai`s Karutta daivatte tedi i.e. `In Search of the Black God` in 1980 was the best example. But repetitions of such experiments were not always successful.

A third approach was to discover the inherent aesthetic qualities and creative potential of traditional elements and adapt them to the requirements of contemporary theatre. Kavalam Narayana Panikkar was the dramatist and director, who successfully developed this model in his own plays like Daivattar i.e. `God-man` in 1973, Avanavan katampa i.e. `Self as the Obstacle` in 1975 and Pashugayatri i.e. `Hymn to Cattle` in 1986. This happened as well as in his interpretations of the Sanskrit dramas of Bhasa. This was acclaimed in Kerala and elsewhere for inspiring Indian theatre by his methods. But other directors who followed his example did not meet with similar success. Meanwhile, acting styles in the second half of the twentieth century ranged from the realism of C. I. Parameswaran Pillai on the amateur stage and V. T. Aravindaksha Menon in professional theatre. This also can be seen to the larger-than-life villains and movie heroes of Kottarakkara Sridharan Nair and the chameleonic naturalism of Bharat Gopi. Thus Malayalam theatre reveals an irreconcilable diversity as well as a meaningful search for identity.