A different kind of act

A different kind of act

Dadi Pudumjee and Ishara Puppet Theatre will be presenting Apples and Oranges, which has three clowns and a few puppets talking about the issues that we face in our daily lives

Inspired by legendary poet Rumi, Dadi Pudumjee and Ishara Puppet Theatre have brought Apples and Oranges, a production which makes the young and old learn important values without preaching. The show will have three clowns and a few puppets wittily engaging with one another and the audience, highlighting the strange and arrogant times we live in. It cleverly weaves a medley of performances together on things we see around us. Apples and Oranges highlights that human beings are different from each other just the way apples and oranges cannot be compared.

Pudumjee, puppeteer and president of Union International de la Marionette, has been in the field for more than 30 years. He makes use of puppets to present serious issues in a humorous manner for the audience, especially children, to introspect.  

Storytelling through puppetry leaves a great impact on the audience because it is an objective art form. Subjective art form is the actor who is flesh and blood and so is the audience. The puppet is made specifically according to its character. There is no grey area and it speaks directly to you. Pudumjee mentions that the willing suspension of disbelief plays a great role in this art form.

Puppetry is not age bound. To promote the same, Ishara Puppet Theatre arranges shows for children, teenagers, adults and family audiences. They raise awareness of several social issues and conducts workshops through the art form. Since puppetry is an objective art form, one can say things through this medium, which may not be possible through regular theatre, due to sensitivities and being subjective. He says when these two collaborate, it is even better.

Ishara International Puppet Festival is in its 16th year and both parents and children eagerly wait for this event in Delhi and other cities. Pudumjee says, “Puppetry needs nurturing, it needs a platform and when the medium and the message meet, puppetry is magic on stage.”

Puppetry is one of the oldest art forms and Pudumjee says each geographical area has its own traditions, styles and techniques. He further adds that modern puppeteers are dealing with stories both traditional and epics as well as today’s issues. While traditional puppeteers have their own repertoire and style, puppets are now being increasingly used in theatre along with actors, dancers and also featured in visuals and new media.

Talking about how puppetry as an art form can be kept alive, he says, “Conservation is a double-edged sword, it cannot be static.” He mentions that although it is not easy to keep alive the traditional art form, new methods and materials are emerging and helping the art. He says that the urban audience at times wants to see the traditional art form but just as a visual and not what lies behind societal customs, traditions and rituals. However, the original audience of this art form is looking for new stories and new visuals. He believes that the artist must put a part of themselves into the art only then will it thrive. But making it static will make it a museum piece behind a glass case.

An explosion of creativity, Apples and Oranges promises to be a moving performance that will leave a smile on your face. So don’t miss it.

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