The International Association for Performing Arts and Research (IAPAR) is hosting the fourth IAPAR International Theatre Festival from November 7-12 in the city. Shekhar Sen, chairman of Sangeet Natak Akademi, will be the chief guest. This is an official festival of the Indian Centre of International Theatre Institute and it will feature innovative performances from China, Georgia, Germany, USA and of course India.
Some of the highlights of the festival include masterclasses and workshops conducted by national and international theatre professionals, platform performances, a play-reading competition and discussions.
The acting workshop by Ram Gopal Bajaj will focus on acting methodology of an Indian actor. It will help participants to introspect and look at one’s own experiences in life, reality, and imagination.
Another session on Hieroglyph will be conducted by Dr Praveen Bhole. Hieroglyph is an ancient Egyptian writing system, which is a stylised picture of an object representing a word, syllable or a sound.
Gauri Dewal and Happy Ranjeet, from Delhi, will be holding a workshop on Folk art for the modern actor.
Abhiram Bhadkamkar will be conducting a workshop on Abhivyakti, Lekhan ani Natak. The focus of the workshop is to bring fresh ideas for performance and to find unique expression.
Shanxi Qinqiang, an opera group from China, will be holding a workshop on Qin Qiang Opera and Me. The workshop will be an introduction about Qin Qiang Opera followed by an interaction with the leading actress and speaker of the workshop, Aiyun QI. The workshop will also include a sharing of their idea of traditional costumes and make-up. It will mainly focus on sharing the performance practice in China.
Vinay Kumar of Adishakti, will be talking on ‘Introduction to Breath and Emotion’. Adishakti has evolved a purely physical craft for the stimulation of emotion and psychological expression. As breath is the physical expression of thought and emotion, it implies that a particular emotion has a particular pattern of breath. In this session, participants would be taught eight patterns of breath for the eight emotions of Koodiyattam.
The main theatrical performances include Nirupan by Rang Pandhari. The play revolves around the lives of people who have had generations of their families vested in the art of Kirtana (narration) and devotion.
Roop Aroop, by Unicorn Actors Studio, Delhi, is about the moment that shifts a fleeting span of creative glimpse which leaves its mark on times that ensue. The Burning Incense, by Shanxi Qinqiang, is a very popular folk story that is said to have happened during the time of the Song Dynasty (around 1000 years ago).
One of the unsung heroes of the Indian epic Ramayan is the army of monkeys from the land of Kishkindha that helped King Ram win his war against the demon king, Ravana. But before these simian soldiers followed him into war, the ruler of Kishkindha, King Bali commanded them all. A meditation on justice, ethics and morality, Adishakti’s Bali is a retelling of the crucial events surrounding the murder of King Bali, which helped Rama to ally himself with the army. Through a seamless transition from the epic to the everyday, Bali explores the notion of right and wrong in this tale of brotherhood and revenge.
Pirosmani, by Poti Valerian Gunia Professional State Theatre depicts the tragic life story of the great Georgian artist Niko Pirosmani, who passed away in a basement. His story is brought to life in this one-act puppet show. Information about Niko Pirosmani was collected after his death.
ST Reader Service
The workshops will be held at Kalachhaya, opposite Vikhe-Patil School, whereas the main performances will take place from November 7-12 2019 at Jyotsana Bhole Sabhagruha, MCC, Tilak Road
