Theatre · Fort Kochi
Great K V Kathakali Center
Watch the elaborate makeup applied live before the 6 PM show.
The Kerala Kathakali Centre is a theatre on KB Jacob Road in Fort Kochi, and it stages Kathakali every day. It opens from 9.30am to 10pm. The performers’ makeup is applied in front of the audience from 5pm, and the show runs from 6 to 7pm, so arrive by 5pm if you want to watch the transformation. The 6pm Kathakali show costs ₹600.
The makeup is what you come to see. Each character’s face is painted in front of you before the first scene. Kalaripayattu martial arts and Indian classical music follow later in the evening. Hands-on workshops on the make-up also run here, for visitors who want to try it.
The centre was established in 1994 by Kalamandalam Vijayan. It received initial support from the Kerala Tourism Development Corporation. In 2010 it opened a second institution close to Santa Cruz Basilica. V S Sucheendran and K P Vijayakumaran manage the centre.
What the cats hear
What visitors liked
- Immersive, well-explained performance with a story sheet and context beforehand.
- Skilled, expressive performers.
- The live makeup process can be viewed before the show.
Did you know
Kathakali’s chutti makeup follows fixed rules: green for noble characters, red for evil, black for the mysterious.
The Kerala Kathakali Centre runs hands-on workshops on Kathakali make-up.
The centre received initial support from the Kerala Tourism Development Corporation.
In 2010 the centre opened a second institution near Santa Cruz Basilica in Fort Kochi.
The Kerala Kathakali Centre was established in 1994 by Kalamandalam Vijayan.
The 6pm Kathakali show at the Kerala Kathakali Centre costs ₹600.
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