Professor-in-Charge: Prof. Bertram Da ‘ Silva, Vice-Principal (Arts and Science)
Secretary: Asmi Dasgupta (3rd year, Department of Sociology)
Asst. Secretary: Srijit K. Mondal (3rd year, Department of Economics)
Theatre has always been the lifeblood of St. Xavier’s College (Autonomous), Kolkata. The institution itself traces its origins to the great fire that destroyed the Sans Souci Theatre. The Xaverian Theatrical Society (XTS), founded in 1931, has since nurtured some of India’s finest thespians - Sombhu Mitra, Utpal Dutt, Anil Chatterjee, Tarun Roy, and later Ramaprasad Banik, Sudipto Chatterjee, Kharaj Mukherjee, and Dana Roy. Their vision and ideology continue to inspire XTS as an instrument of social change.
Over the years, XTS has upheld this legacy through original productions that reflect the creativity of young Xaverians. It has provided a platform for emerging talent, fostered a safe and collaborative artistic space, and consistently experimented with visual effects to create productions that stand apart.
XTS actively mentors new talent to ensure that the society nurtures and maintains the tradition of professional theatrical quality.
XTS has a rich history of achievements: pioneering ‘Collage Theatre’ with “Jibonerjonney, Bhalobasharjonney” (1999), later adapted into a documentary; winning first prize at Malhar Youth Festival, Mumbai (2000) with the production “From Dirt to Dust”, defeating 60 nationwide participating colleges; staging “The Rebirth”, praised by The Telegraph for its scale and music by the late Pandit Kanan; presenting “A Medical Crisis – Revisited” during SXC’s 150-year celebrations; and producing “Aajir – the Enslaved” (2012) on bonded labour. In 2014, “Hacchoo!!”, an adaptation of Chekhov’s “The Death of a Clerk”, received wide acclaim.
Post-COVID, XTS re-emerged strongly, participating in inter-college competitions in 2023–24 and 2024–25, earning accolades across categories.
In November 2025, it staged “The Canterbury Inn” an original musical featuring dance, live choir, and shadow acts. It received great response from students and teachers alike.
Beyond stage productions, XTS has excelled in street plays and audio dramas. In 2026, in collaboration with NSS, it performed a street play on “Nasha Mukt Bharat” on campus and another on women’s health awareness in rural areas, which received much praise from the audience
XTS organises two major annual events: Khwaab, a theatre workshop led by industry professionals, and Theaxav, its inter-college theatre competition. A key highlight of every Theaxav is the home production—Der Rücktritt (2024), a political play against fascism; Under His Eye (2025), inspired by Orwell’s Animal Farm; and Macbeth (2026), an homage to the bard himself.
In the coming year too, XTS shall ignite new talent, shaping it through theatre. With workshops and powerful productions, we’ll keep the spirit of the stage alive in those who live for it!