Curtain Call

This month will see absorbing theatre activity with both local & national groups on centrestage

From a rare experience to now a regular activity, these are good times for theatre lovers, who are not only viewing regular staging of plays, but complete theatre festivals which bring in groups from all over the country. With the recent National Theatre Festival being a super-hit with audience, the stage is now set for the fourth Theatre for Theatre (TFT) Winter National Theatre Fest from December 7 to 13 and you can look forward to plays from directors like Usha Ganguly, Probir Guha, Alakhnandan… Sudesh Sharma, the ‘leading man’ of TFT is elated with the fact that there’s now serious theatre activity in the city, which is also receiving a super response. “When we began staging Court Martial in ‘99 and did umpteen shows day after day of the same play to revive theatre and get people back to the world of plays. From local productions to now national and international groups looking forward to performing here, Sudesh agrees days of drama are back in action, and how! The Winter National Theatre Festival is in collaboration with the Department of Information and Public Relations, NZCC Patiala and Chandigarh Administration and Sudesh says they wanted local theatre groups to interact with good directors with different sensibilities. Experimental, realistic, contemporary and traditional themes will be explored in plays like Ganguly’s Antaryatra, Sudesh Sharma’s Aadhi Raat Ke Baad, Guha’s Amma, Alakhnanadan’s Chaarpai…at Tagore Theatre. “Local theatre groups will be totally involved in on and off-stage activities. “An interaction programme at the end of the festival will give everyone an opportunity to discuss individual theatre experiences,’’ adds Sharma.

Discovering a brand-new genre of theatre is Sahib Singh, who is staging Ravinder Ravi’s Man Dehin (Soulmate) on December 3 at Government College, Sector 46. Written in verse form, presenting dialogues in poetry, yet not making it seem like a poetry recital but a play, was a challenge Singh enjoyed. Dance, music, special light effects, sets, elaborate choreography, Sahib says the play which deal with the theme of relationships getting lost in this race for materialistic pursuits is a unique experiment and he’s looking forward to more shows . Play on…