Read all about the six-day long popular theatre festival happening in the city called Thespo.
As Thespo 21 takes centre stage in the city, we take a look at the four thought-provoking plays being staged during the festival
It is India’s diversity and numerous languages that make every theatre performance a unique experience. Returning to the city in a much bigger and better way, Thespo 21 — a youth theatre movement, starting from December 16 till December 21, is celebrating its 21st year with plays from all over the country. Hand-picked by curators Vikram Phukan and Alok Rajwade from over 200 plays in more than 13 languages, all four scheduled performances are going to be unique.
“From having no language in Baksa (a silent play) to a reinterpretation of the late Girish Karnad’s Agni Aur Barkha, and the understated and powerful Bain, to the hard-hitting Saane Ani
Company, it is going to be quite an experience. Then, there are the pieces about Kashmir, and so much more,” shares an excited Quasar Thakore Padamsee, who founded Thespo in 1999. Interestingly, it is Agni Aur Barkha, which is one of the most anticipated performances as it is the first time in all these years that a performance is coming out of Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh. However, the festival is not only limited to plays, for it also has a variety of workshops. Canadian theatre personality Kathleen Duborg is one of the many who’ll lend her expertise to young theatre aspirants. With the theme — Binge On Theatre, Thespo fellow (organiser), Sameer Ayyagari says, “Apart from the plays, we also have Thespo Reads, which has play readings, bringing poetry and music to the stage, and numerous fringe performances,” which will keep the audience busy.
We caught up with the directors of the four plays, which are going to be performed at the Prithvi Theatre throughout this week, as they give us the inside story on their inspiration, performing in Mumbai and more.
BAIN
Mumbai Theatre Arts group will take it up a notch, as they perform the play Bain, in not just one but two languages — Hindi and Urdu. Based on a story by late author Ahmed Nadeem Quasmi, the play revolves around a God-fearing family, tricked by people with cruel intentions in the name of religion. Talking about the use of a bilingual medium for the play, director Vishal Sonawane says, “The way the whole story is written is absolutely mesmerising. I feared that if I touched the core aspect of the story, that is its language, it will lose its magic.” So what makes Bain relevant in times like today? “The story was written in 1965 by Ahmed Nadeem Quasmi but I feel it is relevant even today. I believe that the situation of women in our society is quite similar, if not the same,” he adds, emphasising on the thoughtprovoking nature of the play. When: December 17, at 6pm and 9pm.
BAKSA
The reinforcing nature of Thespo 21’s plays being unique is quite evident in its selection of performances, but with
Baksa, performed by Bengaluru-based DOT Theatre, it also packs a punch It is, primarily, a silent performance and director Amrith Jayan says, “The pla is non-verbal in nature, yet has a language of its own. We usually make sense of reality when words are used but wh if we painted that same pictu with no words at all. It keeps the experience more raw an no meaning is altered or hidden using words.” Interestingly, the play has t major inspirations — one is that of Irish playwright Samuel Beckett’s absurd id and the other, Wolfgang Kohler’s experiment called ‘The mentality of apes’ — a this is what Amrith likes to call a “well-layered onion” Loaded with metaphors and action, he promises that the play is going to be symbolic with loads of laughter, which will later turn into food for thought.
When: December 18, at 6pm and 9pm.
SAANE ANI COMPANY
Closer to home, Pune-based theatre group Aajkal is bringing Saane Ani Company to the city, which is about a theatre artiste, whose life is set in the 1950s and how his theatre troupe tries to ‘reinvent’ themselves. “Vishwanath Saane and his theatre group try to adapt and adhere to realistic dramas hoping to bring in a change in the society,” director Devendra Charnkar says about the inspiration for the play. But the question he wants to ask is “will society accept it?” Staging a Marathi play in Mumbai shouldn’t be a problem but what about the importance of the use of other regional languages? “I strongly believe that theatre from various regions should come together sustaining individuality, diversity and a better understanding of art,” he adds. However, Devendra goes beyond the regular mediums of theatre to make the audience engage in a different kind of experience. “The set seen during the play is intentionally tilted and placed diagonally so that the audience can, to some extent, experience the discomfort experienced by the members of the group,” explains Devendra, about how it is more of an immersive experience for viewers.
When: December 19, at 6pm and 9pm.
AGNI AUR BARKHA
Agni Aur Barkha is a mod and scientific view to a mythical story. “This play is about how a progressive mind understands society, further incorporating tradition in its real content well as in craft,” says direct Arpit Singh Bais of the Jabalpur-based theatre grou Samagam Rangmandal. Arp says the play is also based on the current social and politic situation in India.Incidentall the play has been written by one of India’s most beloved playwrights, Girish Karnad. “His unique treatment makes his writing a classic and invited us to create the truth o our own time on stage,” he adds. Interestingly, while the always have one or two directors directing the play, this time around it is all five of them who have become directors, actors as well as designers. So, what does such a platform mean to the Madhya Pradesh theatre aspirants? “Jabalpur is known as ‘sanskardhaani’, which means the leading town of Madhya Pradesh in terms of art,culture and literature,” he says, concluding, “It will also show how art inspires us to give maximum output using minimum resources with collective efforts.”
When: December 20, at 6pm and 9pm.