“In The Jungle Book , it is kids aged three to 14 who take centre stage. They play the main roles, as well as the supporting characters. The highlight is that there are no adults involved,” beams Dr. Sandhya Ruban.
The adaptation of Rudyard Kipling’s classic, starring 32 children, has been directed by her and Andrea Jacob and presented by Glow Worm Club. “The toughest task was seeing the jungle through Kipling’s eyes, because contrary to popular belief, he never lived in a jungle. He created these characters with his imagination. We’ve also focused on dealing with the emotions of animals through human eyes,” says Sandhya.
This is the fourth edition of the annual production that has brought to the city re-adaptation of classics like Lion King , Peter Pandu and Princess Rukku and The Song of Hiawatha.
“We teach children that being on stage is not only about talking in English, but also a chance to express themselves. It’s important for them to know that it’s okay to be who they are, even though the world demands they be perfect. Theatre is holistic and this stage will give them a chance to sing, dance and speak to their heart’s content.”
The production promises to be grand, what with NIFT Chennai designing costumes, Swarnabhoomi Academy of Music scoring the music, Toni & Guy handling the make-up and MIDAS College of Architecture designing the sets.
“These names lend credibility to the production. With the costumes, for example, I wanted it to be completely Indian without any Disney influences. That’s where NIFT stepped in; the costumes are a project for the students.”
The Jungle Book will be staged on April 14 (6 p.m.) at Museum Theatre. Tickets are priced at Rs. 350 and available on bookmyshow and eventjini. Call 99400 33305.
