Drama time: An excellent calendar of plays
Editor’s note: Tales from Bijnor, comedy from the corridors of NSD, an unlikely Bihari superhero, and a middle-class Shakespeare adaptation—these ten plays across languages and venues—will offer you a respite from your phone screen. FYI: This is a calendar for this weekend and October.
Written by: Prachi Sibal, Advisory Editor
The rains have nearly left, and the festivals (the performing arts kind) are right around the corner. While new plays will soon make their way to a stage near you, this is the time to look back and watch some of the spectacular work created in the years past. PS: There are some new plays too.
Taking Sides
Written by noted playwright Ronald Harwood, and set in post-World War II Germany, ‘Taking Sides’ tells the story of the denazification trial of Wilhelm Furtwangler, the conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. Furtwangler was also known as Hitler’s favourite conductor. In the backdrop of this dramatic premise, it questions if art is greater than politics, and if there is such a thing as apolitical art.
Prachi’s take: ‘Taking Sides’ is high on tempo and doesn’t take sides. Instead, it leaves you with questions that you will ponder for a long time. Sukant Goel delivers a searing performance as Major Arnold, the interrogating officer.
Where to watch it: On September 29 at Museo Camera, Gurgaon, on October 18 at Ranga Shankara, Bangalore, on October 19 at Medai, Chennai, and on October 20 at CRIPA, Auroville. Tickets are available on Bookmyshow.
Aur Karo Theatre
Part theatre, part comedy, Gopal Dutt’s solo piece takes you from the alleys of the National School of Drama (NSD) in the capital, to the dirt tracks of Aram Nagar II in Mumbai. Then there are Dutt’s backstage stories. He uses songs, satire, and everything in between to both pay tribute and poke fun at theatre.
Prachi’s take: Gopal Dutt is a joy to watch on stage, and 90 minutes of him talking about theatre, we’ll sign up in a heartbeat.
Where to watch it: On October 1, at antiSocial Mumbai. Tickets here.
Rang Birangi Lavani
Lavani, a traditional folk dance form in Maharashtra, is bold and has been known to break societal barriers while also talking openly about sexuality. It has a built-in queerness. Men and women both perform as women. But, Rang Birangi Lavani, directed by Bhushan Korgaonkar and Kunal Vijayakar, and produced by B Spot Productions, will introduce you to a man performing as a male Lavani artist in one of its sketches. Imbued with song and dance, these short sketches are a glimpse into lived queer experiences across class and spectrums.
Prachi’s take: Korgaonkar and Vijayakar’s performances contextualise the folk form and the lives of Lavani artists. You’ll experience a range of emotions and may even be encouraged to shake a leg with the artists.
Where to watch it: On October 1, at NCPA, Mumbai. Tickets on Bookmyshow.
Middle-Class Dream of Summer’s Night
An adaptation of Shakespeare’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’, the play sets the events in middle-class India, complete with its dreams and aspirations. Directed by Amitosh Nagpal and produced by Mandali Talkies, the play explores the themes of love and identity while promising to be an all-round entertainer with music, dance, and humour.
Prachi’s take: Amitosh Nagpal previously wrote the runaway hit ‘Piya Behrupiya’ based on Shakespeare's ‘Twelfth Night’. The humour in his writing is on point and we can’t wait to catch this one.
Where to watch it: On October 1 and 2 at Prithvi Theatre, Mumbai. Tickets here.
Daklakatha Devikavya
Director Lakshmana KP draws from the Kannada poetry of KP Siddaiah, founder-member of the Dalit Sangharsha Samiti to tell the story of an oppressed community through their rituals, desires, and myths. It spotlights marginalised instruments like the tamte and the areye, interspersed with high drama. Central to the piece is the question of what happens when the written word becomes an organ for the untouchable body.
Prachi’s take: ‘Daklakatha Devikavya’ is riveting and leaves you in awe with the sheer prowess of its performers. The live music is haunting and you’ll be humming the songs on your way out.
Where to watch it: On October 5 at Ranga Shankara, Bangalore. Tickets here.
Janpad Bijnor
The play is based on a collection of short stories by Asif Hussain from his hometown Bijnor. Director Jitender Singh uses simplistic design and storytelling to let the text shine in all its tender nuance. The tales are laced with humour and cut across themes of unexpressed desire, longing, and sometimes, melancholy.
Prachi’s take: The interactive performance makes you a part of its small-town setting. ‘Fakko Ka Murga’, one of three stories in the performance, will leave you in splits.
Where to watch it: On October 8 at antiSocial Mumbai. Tickets here.
Patna Ka Superhero
Written by Nihal Parashar, and performed by Ghanshyam Lalsa, the solo piece is an endearing tale told from the eyes of a young boy in Patna. Pintu Bhaiya is a senior in school and a local gang leader. But, to the little boy, he is akin to a cool superhero. The story is steeped in its milieu and paints a delightful picture of Patna in the early 2000s.
Prachi’s take: ‘Patna Ka Superhero’ is a heartfelt tale told simply. Ghanshyam Lalsa plays the character with a tenderness that will stay with you.
Where to watch it: On October 11 at NMACC, Mumbai, and October 13, at Shreeram Lagoo Rang Avakash, Pune. Tickets are available on Bookmyshow.
Jo Dooba So Paar
Written by Ajitesh Gupta, and directed by him and Mohit Agarwal, this is a performance of musical dastangoi about the life of Amir Khusrau. It is a moving portrait of his relationship with his guru Nizamuddin Auliya, with nuggets from their life navigating the form of qawwali.
Prachi’s take: There’s hardly a person who won’t come out raving from the theatre. Grab your tickets soon, it tends to sell out.
Where to watch it: On October 11 at Shri Ram Centre, New Delhi and October 18 at NCPA, Mumbai. Tickets on Bookmyshow.
Barricade
Theatre stalwart and activist Utpal Dutt’s work has rarely been translated from Bengali. ‘Barricade’, his longest-running play, in English translation, has been brought to stage by veteran director Sunil Shanbag. Set in 1933 Germany, at the cusp of the Nazi takeover, it was meant to foreshadow Bengal politics in 1972, ahead of the burning of books at Humboldt University. It remains pertinent as a powerful piece of drama and Shanbag’s performance is in Hindustani with a smattering of German and music that audiences can’t stop raving about.
Prachi’s take: Sunil Shanbag is exacting as a director and lets the dramaturgy do the talking.
Where to watch it: On October 19 and 20 at NCPA, Mumbai. Tickets here.
Unshared Childhoods
This immersive experimental performance, directed by Tanvi Shah, uses letters and live music to explore personal histories. It invites the audience to participate in the act of sharing; stories, experiences, and food. It has been to remote farms, homes, and terraces, rarely stopping at the conventional proscenium. And while at it, it has left many a viewer teary-eyed.
Prachi’s take: The cast has a bunch of talented young theatre makers who believe that interaction is the bedrock of live performances.
Where to watch it: October 26 and 27, Akiko Rhythms rooftop, Mumbai. Ticket updates here.
