[Reader-list] Theatre : 12th Bharat Rang Mahotsav to begin from January 6 , New Delhi

[rohitrellan at aol.in]

A total of 87 productions to be staged during the 12th Bharat Rang 
Mahotsav NSD’s International Theatre Festival between January 6 and 22, 
2010


Introduction

The 12th Bharat Rang Mahotsav, marks the beginning of the New Year and 
another milestone for the prestigious National School of Drama (NSD), 
as its annual national and international theatre festival opens with 
concurrent shows at multiple venues in Mandi House over two weeks from 
6 to 22 January 2010. The BRM or Theatre Utsav, as it is popularly 
known, has come to be regarded as one of the largest and most important 
theatre festivals in Asia.

In keeping with the tradition of presenting outstanding theatre that 
allows for meaningful engagement, this year also the BRM will be 
presenting a rich fare of 87 productions selected out of nearly 450 
proposals received from across India and from around the world 
including some innovative work by some senior and young directors, 
distinguished by the manner in which they access and interpret classic 
texts and new concepts around today’s socio-cultural and 
psycho-political realities. Taking forward the ‘Young Experimenters’ 
component of last year, BRM XII also includes productions by graduates 
of the school in a synthesis of experience, new energy and vision.



The Productions

The thematic impulses that make up the main component of the festival 
are as eclectic as they are creative. The works of eminent contemporary 
Indian playwrights like Dharamvir Bharati’s Andha Yug, Vijay 
Tendulkar’s Sakharam Binder and Mahesh Elkunchwar’s Garbo are presented 
in striking new productions, alongside world classics like Ibsen’s When 
We Dead Awaken, Little Eyolf, and A Doll’s House, Ionesco’s Rhinoceros, 
Pinter’s Democra(cies), and Chekov’s Tedha Darpan.  Shakespearean texts 
are re-explored in Lady Macbeth Revisited as well as Hamlet the Clown 
Prince, while the human predicament in times of political turmoil is 
seen in Jis Lahore Nahi Dekhya, The Caine Mutiny Court Martial and 
Black Orchid, among others. Themes of hope and regeneration are 
poetically rendered in Technicolour Dreams2 and Monglee.

What runs as a common thread that sets these productions apart, is the 
inventive directorial treatment of texts, as well as an attempt to push 
actors to explore new territories in performance expression. From 
classics like Euripides’ Medea, or Bhavabhuti’s Uttararamacharitam, the 
aim is to forge new vocabularies in devised/ collaborative projects, 
many of which also show an interest in interacting with new media. 
Productions like Strange Lines, Ecdysis: The Snake Sheds its Skin and 
The Spirits Play reveal this trend, as do In/Out/In and Quick Death. In 
dance/choreographed pieces like Tilt, Spinal Cord and The Doorway the 
focus is on inventing a movement based visual language. Chanda Mama 
Door Ke, Chronotopia and Shraman revisit and reinterpret earlier texts; 
Bharatkatha draws on the oral traditions of the country, while Main 
Rahi Masoom is inspired by poetry.  From puppet plays to 
dance/choreographed pieces to devised and experimental work in new 
media; the festival offers something for everyone.



International Dimension

This year the Festival will be hosting 13 productions drawn from China, 
Pakistan, The foreign component includes revisiting ancient plays like 
Medea (Italy), Shakuntala (Pakistan) and Odysseus Chaoticus (Israel), 
unique conceptualizations like Kiosk (Japan) and innovative 
collaborations like The Spirits Play (Singapore), representations of 
folk legends- The Orphan of Zhao (China), works by modern playwrights 
like Giraudoux (Bangladesh), Ibsen (Nepal), Pinter (France) and Müller 
(Germany), a solo operatic act (UK) and a puppet performance 
(Afghanistan).


Natya Naad

To celebrate and pay tribute to our rich tradition of theatre music and 
songs, a specially commissioned multimedia performance, Natya Naad, 
directed by Bansi Kaul with eminent theatre director Shrimati Vijaya 
Mehta, as the Chief Guest, will mark the inaugural.

Drawing on music and songs in a variety of experimental ways, 
contemporary Indian theatre that imbibes interesting crossovers between 
tradition and modernity will be an important focus area of the 
Festival. The inaugural performance will be followed by nine additional 
evening sessions of live theatre music and songs of stalwarts of 
theatre music. The Natya Naad will showcase the work of B.V. Karanth, 
Habib Tanvir, Bhaskar Chandavarkar, Mohan Upreti, and K.N. Panikkar 
while it will also highlight the work of movements like IPTA, forms 
such as Banglar Manchagaan and Natya Sangeet tradition of Maharashtra, 
and compositions from groups like Sopanam and Parvatiya Kala Kendra, 
that have been vital to Indian theatre across regions, languages and 
traditions. The programme will also feature an evening dedicated 
exclusively to the music that has been composed by and used in National 
School of Drama productions over the years, as it celebrates and 
documents the diversity in theatre music forms and practices from 
across the country.


Natya Manthan

A two day round table Natya Manthan, with participation by theatre 
scholars and practitioners from across India and abroad will be hosted 
by the National School of Drama on Thursday, 7 January and Friday, 8 
January 2010, 9.30 am to 2 pm on both days. Ranging over the topics of 
Censorship, Theatre Music, Theatre Portals/ Archives and 
Theatre-Medicine-Science, each session will include panelists, 
respondents and a Chair to speak on a given theme. Their brief 
presentations giving different view points on a shared platform will be 
followed by open interaction and discussion amongst the participants 
and the speakers.



Festival in Bhopal

In keeping with the practice started three years ago of sharing the 
fare invited for the festival at Delhi with another city, a part of the 
repertoire for BRMXII will travel to Bhopal with 16 of the invited 
productions for the Festival slated there from January 12 to 20, 2010. 
BRM Bhopal will be presented at two venues the Antrang theatre at 
Bharat Bhawan and Ravindra Bhawan Tagore hall in the city. The Chief 
Minister of Madhya Pradesh has been invited to inaugurate the Festival 
there on 12 January.


Other Allied Events

The Festival, as a melting point of different cultures provides a 
unique opportunity for enjoyment of theatre as well as professional 
interaction. A series of synergetic wrap around programmes that have 
been organized around the Festival include Post-performance Discussions 
for interested audience in the foyer, ‘The Morning After’ professional 
encounters between students and directors at NSD, Photographic 
Exhibitions featuring landmark work of B.V. Karanth and Habib Tanvir, 
Babur - An Opera a session to share work-in-progress on Sunday 10 
January, 4 to 5pm at British Council, 17 Kasturba Gandhi Marg, New 
Delhi, “For Pina…” a site-specific promenade movement and multi media 
performance on Thursday January 21, 7 pm featuring Jayachandran Palazhy 
of Attakkalari, at Siddhartha Hall Goethe Institut/ Max Mueller Bhavan 
, Theatre café, Theatre video hub and Open forums for networking.



The Scale

The 87 performances and dozens of associated events in Delhi take place 
at seven venues - the Kamani Auditorium, the Shri Ram Centre, Meghdoot 
(open air), the LTG Theatre and the four venues within the premises of 
the NSD—Abhimanch, Sammukh, Bahumukh and Open Lawn Theatre besides its 
studio spaces as well as partner venues such as the British Council and 
Max Mueller Bhawan.

There are simultaneous performances and events spread over five to six 
venues each day during the two week run in Delhi and 16 productions at 
the two venues in Bhopal during an eight day run there. BRM XII will 
host about 2,000 theatre people from across India and the world. As in 
the past, the festival shows are expected to run to full houses, 
attracting nearly 50,000 spectators in Delhi and about 10,000 viewers 
in Bhopal.

To design, mount and coordinate a festival of this size in two cities 
involves a logistical feat that the NSD manages with élan because of 
its highly trained technical personnel, faculty and staff and the 
commitment they bring to the cause of theatre worldwide.

The mega event is an opportunity for the professionals, public and 
students alike to engage with the process and practice of contemporary 
theatre arts.


For further information please contact:
The National School of Drama, Bahawalpur House, Bhagwandas Road, New 
Delhi- 110001, India
T: +91 11 23383420/ 23384531