With six premiere productions, a Ramleela in Urdu, platform performances, fringe theatre productions, stage talks and much more, the annual Prithvi Theatre Festival 2017 kicked off yesterday and will continue till November 13. Kunal Kapoor, trustee, Prithvi Theatre, lets us in on the plans for this year...
What’s new at the fest this year?
Literally everything!
The Nooran sisters kicked off the fest this time. You usually start with a play…
Yes, this is new! They are not only very talented singers but great stage performers and we simply thought it was a good idea.
The fest even went to Dubai last year. Do you plan to take it to other cities/countries?
Dubai was super! And yes, we would love to take the festival to other cities — but it depends on sponsorship/patronage to make it financially viable. It’s a great idea, but it does cost.
The legacy of the Kapoor khandaan has been kept alive with Prithvi Theatre. But how challenging is it to keep the momentum going?
It is difficult — in the last year particularly, the financial upheavals the nation has gone through has not helped. But then again — the performing arts have been alive as long as the human race has existed through all calamities, wars etc. So we will survive — it’ll be hard but we will.
How do you keep theatre commercially viable?
By just keep doing it. If we stop, we die! We have to keep the momentum going. And there always is an audience for live theatre. Sure we go through ups and downs — but hey, who said theatre was easy?
OUR PICKS
Flamenco-Kathaa (Hindi and English)
It’s a blend of the two disciplines in their pure and collaborative form. With foot tapping being at the crux of both styles, Flamenco and Kathak seamlessly overlap creating rhythmic patterns and nuances unique and new to the two dance forms.
When: Nov 4, 6 pm
Ansh Theatre’s Spot On
What happens when a scientist decides to go on strike? What are the consequences on him? On his family? Spot is on for you to See, Hear, Feel and Wake up.
When: Nov 5, In Marathi at 6 pm, Hindi at 9 pm
The Hoshruba Repertory’s Qissa Urdu Ki Aakhiri Kitaab Ka (Urdu and Hindi)
This is a two-actor farcical banter based on the master satirist poet, essayist, Ibn-e-Insha’s celebrated book Urdu Ki Aakhiri Kitaab. He wrote this book in a textbook format dividing the chapters into lessons on History, Geography, Basic Grammar, Maths, Moral Science Stories and so forth. The production retains the books essence and format but contemporises its content to modern day Indian socio-political scenario. It’s a mix of storytelling, stand-up, role-playing with musical interludes.
When: Nov 7, 6 pm and 9 pm
Rage Productions’ Iron (English)
The play is set in a women’s prison. A place where someone is always looking in from the outside, and where someone is on the inside. A mother and a daughter regard each other across 15 years. They are haunted by memory, scarred by time. Can they remember enough to start over?
When: Nov 8, 5 pm and 8 pm
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