Shraddha completes four years this November and plans to celebrate the occasion with a children’s play. This is Shraddha’s first venture in the area of children’s theatre, and hence the troupe has chosen to inaugurate ‘Bharathi’ aptly on Children’s Day.
Originally written in Marathi by Vijay Tendulkar and titled “Bobby’s Story,” the play has been adapted to Tamil by Delhi-based writer and theatre personality Yadartha K. Penneswaran. Known for introducing experimental themes and new writers to mainstream Tamil theatre, Shraddha is a group of theatre enthusiasts (age no bar) who have come together with a mission to put Tamil theatre on the map of world theatre.
The latest production is one of many firsts for Shraddha. In the words of producer Shivaji Chaturvedi, “This is the first time we are experimenting with an adaptation of a Marathi play. So far, all our plays have been written originally in Tamil. “
Friend and co-producer T.D. Sundararajan adds “This is also our first production with a child in the lead. Interesting, the entire team, cast and crew, is new and comprises youngsters, many working with us for the first time.”
Why so many experiments in one go, you ask. “In Shraddha, content drives the course of the production, not the other way round”, says director G. Krishnamurthy. “Written more than 30 years ago by Vijay Tendulkar, the core of this play is still relevant and touches a chord with every reader. When we came across this script, so skilfully adapted by Penneswaran, all the other things fell in place.”
Bharathi is the story of a 10-year old girl, and it explores the rich dimensions of her imagination in about 90 minutes. Master craftsman that he is, Vijay Tendulkar explores the complex contours of the mind of a little girl who yearns for parental approval, with ease, giving us keen insights all along.
Set to music by music director Ramesh Vinayagam (his first for theatre), it has Mahima (a student of Alchemy Kids Theatre) in the lead role, ably supported by a host of other actors and backstage crew. Members of Mactrics Mime and Body Theatre group enhance the presentation with their unique skills.
It is presented jointly by Kartik Fine Arts, Brahma Gana Sabha, Narada Gana Sabha and Sri Parthasarathy Swamy Sabha, besides Thyaga Brahma Gana Sabha, Shraddha and Abbas Culturals.
November 14-17, 7 p.m. at Narada Gana Sabha and November 23 -24, 7 p.m. at Vani Mahal, T. Nagar
