After the play The Green Room that will be staged as part of The Hindu MetroPlus Theatre Fest at Sir Mutha Venkatasubba Rao Concert Hall on August 17, 7.30 p.m., there’s more entertainment outdoors. Head to the banyan tree on the premises of Lady Andal School where you can watch “Dobout An Bout”, a trilingual (Tamil-Creole-English) contemporary circus performance, which is part of the Live In August Festival.
“Dobout An Bout” is presented by three artistes: a musician, a dancer and an acrobat. The show blends acrobatic circus, a video, and a text based on the intercultural dialogue among Tamil, English and Creole that are spoken on Reunion Island. It attempts not only to present the diversity of Reunion through circus, moring (martial dance of Reunion), fonnker (poetry in Creole language), hip-hop and music, but also to highlight the social issues of Reunion. It has been created by combining field work (stories, interviews and videos) and theatre — blending traditional arts and modern circus.
The basis of the performance is a cultural programme “Saison…Reunion!”, launched by the Alliance Française of Pondicherry, inviting artists from Reunion Island to establish cultural connections with Pondicherry. Cirquons Flex Company is part of this initiative.
Alliance Française of Pondicherry has involved Cirquons Flex Company in two projects — a workshop that’s on till August 20 in Puducherry where various social, cultural and circus traditions will be explored, and a show “Dobout An Bout” which will be performed both in Puducherry and Chennai.
The project is supported by Alliance Française of Pondichery, Alliance Française of Madras, DACOI (Cultural Affairs Council/Direction of Indian Ocean), Regional Council of Reunion Island, Council of Reunion Department, the city of Saint-Denis and the Regional Cooperation Funds.
For details, contact Alliance Francaise of Madras, 24, College Road, Nungambakkam or visit www.af-madras.org
