Chidiya, Udd is a subtly-nuanced play: Shaili Sathyu

Ever since its inception in 2010, Gillo Repertory Theatre has been staging plays and conducting workshops to engage with children and young adults alike. Over the last eight years, it has familiarised them with the works of Mahashweta Devi and Devdutt Pattanaik. Now, for the first time, it has come up with a non-verbal play, Chidiya, Udd!, exclusively for kids below five years. Performed by Barkha Fatnani and Dhanesh Gopalakrishnan, it explores the unusual friendship between a bird and a child.

After premiering at VISIONI 2018 International festival for early years in Bologna, Italy, earlier this year, it will be staged in Mumbai on April 15. Shaili, who has scripted and directed it, talks to After Hrs about the inspiration behind the piece…

How would you describe Chidiya, Udd?

It’s a short play inspired by several lullabies, baby songs and food rhymes from different Indian languages which the team members remembered from their childhood. Taking that as a starting point, we began exploring what characters and themes we could have and the situations we could create. Eventually, it led to an interaction between a child and a bird. It doesn’t have a linear story but is about the duo’s various explorations in their daily lives. They play, become friends, share food and discover new things around them.

How challenging has it been for you as well as the actors, especially since it’s a non-verbal play and the age group you are catering to is quite untapped?

We had to unlearn a lot and dispel the pre-conceived notions that we had about toddlers and how they behave. Our mentors from Italy, Roberto Frabetti and Valeria Frabetti, helped us a lot. Valeria taught us how to build a rapport with an adult actor and with an audience member who is 1.5 years old. She helped us do various exercises to discover newer facets about ourselves. Also, in other plays for children, we hardly have eye contact with them. Here, after every three moves, the actor has to acknowledge the tiny tots in order to confirm they have noticed the actions. It’s a subtly-nuanced play.

How did the collaboration with Roberto and Valeria happen?

It was facilitated by ASSITEJ India, the national chapter of ASSITEJ International, a network body of artistes and institutions that work in the field of Theatre for Young Audiences. Dr Ashish Ghosh (a veteran who has been doing theatre for children) has been in touch with international artistes since a long time. Roberto (of La Baracca Testoni Ragazzi that is a pioneering theatre company who has been creating performances for little children for over three decades) and Valeria (renowned Italian theatre director) were closely known to him. In 2016, Roberto conducted a masterclass in Mumbai and in Kolkata. Out of all the participants, two were chosen. It’s a completely self-funded project and has been a wonderful collaborative process.

Do you plan to back such kind of plays in the near future too?

We hope to. If not every year then, at least once in two years. We are planning to take this play on a road trip which we will undertake in Maharashtra and Karnataka, this time. We will also perform in Hyderabad and Pune.

Chidiya Udd will be staged on April 15, 11 am and 5 pm at G5A, Mahalaxmi.