Ratan Thiyam's Raja to open Bharat Rang Mahotsav
Source: Hueiyen News Service / Manipur Information Centre
New Delhi, January 04 2012:
The visually beautiful production of Rabindranath Tagore's highly symbolic play, 'The King of Dark Chamber - 'Raja' directed by Ratan Thiyam of Chorus Repertory Theatre of Manipur will be the inaugural play of the 14th edition of the 15- day Bharat Rang Mahotsav, the largest theatre festival of Asia to be held in New Delhi at nine different venues namely Shri Ram Centre, LTG, Bahumukh, Sammukh, Kamani, Abhimanch, Meghdoot 1& 2, Meghdoot 3 and Abhilkalp from January 8 to 22 .
As a tribute to Tagore on his 150th birth anniversary, the festival has a focus on his works with 14 productions and 4 Allied events among the 88 plays in the main repertoire and 11 Allied events.
The festival will witness different productions of five theatre directors of Manipur.
Bharat Rang Mahotsav was introduced a decade ago by the National School of Drama to stimulate the growth and development of theatre across the country.
Originally a national festival showcasing the work of the most creative theatre workers in India, it has evolved to international scope, hosting theatre companies from around the world.
At the forefront of the International section this year, the festival will have a focus on contemporary Polish Theatre with three very vibrant productions.
A series of wrap around programs around the festival includes a talk on interactive sessions with the directors, a seminar on "The multi-disciplinary approach of Tagore's performance language" and five photographic exhibitions.
The 14th Mahotsav will include several national and international performances, and various associated events in a wrap-around program.
Bharat Rang Mahotsav is accompanied by a shorter festival in a second city, with selections from the main repertoire, extending the scope of the Mahotsav and sharing its plays with theatre lovers outside Delhi.
This year it travels to Amritsar, Punjab.
The second festival was held in Bengaluru, Kolkata, Mumbai, Lucknow, Bhopal and Chennai in the past editions.
Theatre doyen Ratan Thiyam's The King of Dark Chamber- Raja in Manipuri will be staged on 8 January at 7 pm at Kamani Auditorium.
It's a symbolic as well as allegorical play.
It is not divided into acts and scenes.
This play is a reflection of Tagore's philosophy and the relation between individual and the universe.
The play evolves with the Queen Sudarshana's search for Raja, who is invisible.
As a result neither the queen nor the citizens of the state can see him.
Some people, therefore, distrust if there is a king at all! But they don't know that God cannot be seen like any other earthly things.
During her journey, Sudarshana is accompanied by Surangama and Thakur Da, who sings and communicates with the whole community in conveying the idea of Raja's true self.
NSD Diploma production- "Mirage" scripted and directed by Loitongbam Paringanba, an NSD student from Manipur will be staged on 10 January at 8.30pm at Abhimanch.
Paringanba is the son of noted theatre director Loitongbam Dorendro.
The play in Hindi is based on Dr.Saroj Bharadwaj's translation of Kalidasa's Ritusamhara.
The play depicts the contemporary situation of Manipur.
In a land where the dead bodies of young people who lose their lives in encounters, fake-encounters or counter insurgency operations are cremated under state authority as unclaimed bodies; and where the cry of bereaved mother's adds fuel to the funeral pyres, the summer season's warm heat loses its charm.
In a land where the sound of blasting bombs has replaced thundering clouds, the season of rain has no story to tell.
In a land where full moon nights are intercepted by search lights from army camps, the autumn season has a different tale to tell.
When widows embrace the ice-cold bodies of their dead husbands, the beauty of the winter season is lost.
Spring has lost its color as camouflaged army troops cover the land.
Thirsty people traveling across the desert mistake a mirage for water.
Similarly, out of their sheer longing for peace and order, and to escape the horror of the present, people imagine that the colours they see are those of the year's different seasons, as described by Kalidasa in Ritusamhara.
Loika Loikum directed by Goshe Meitei, a renowned balladeer of Manipur is a Manipuri folk play to be staged on 13 January at 6 pm at Bahumukh.
The play is based on legendary Khamba Thoibi epic of Manipur.
Heisnam Tomba's Hungry Stone, an adaptation from the story by Rabindranath Tagore will be staged on 14 January at 4.30pm at Shri Ram Centre.
The play in Manipuri is weaved into a performance that raises poignant questions.
A man purchases a Persian slave girl and gifts her against her will to the Badshah.
The girl laments hysterically like a crazed woman.
Does her lament signify personal disappointment or the yearnings of the entire female race? .
Ningthouja Deepak's Mythical Surrender written by Budha Chingtham, an eminent theatre critic of Manipur will be staged 17 January at 4.30pm at Sri Ram Centre.
The Play bagged three awards namely Best Innovative Sound Design: Ningthouja Jayvidya, Best Original Script: Buddha Chingtham and Best Choreographer: Ningthouja Deepak in the Mahendra Excellence in Theatre Awards 2011 selected by the eminent jury members namely Anuradha Kapur, Arundhati Nag, Mahesh Elkunchwar, Neelam Mansingh and Utkarsh Mazumdar.
The play in Manipuri is developed on the backdrop of military combing operations conducted as part of counter insurgency measures in the North Eastern region of the country.
Using symbolic theatrical gestures and movements, the play depicts the pain, violence and cruelty inherent in the existing contemporary situation.
Ratan Thiyam's Raja will also be the inaugural play of the 10-day Amritsar Festival beginning from 11 January at two different venues.
The play will be staged at Naatshala on 11 January at 7pm.Heisnam Tomba's Hungry Stone will be performed on 16 January at the same venue.
Two Manipuri plays were among 18 plays selected for the Amritsar Festival.
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