“Bhu” (or earth in Sanskrit), a show that fuses moves from Kerala’s martial art form Kalaripayattu with elements of contemporary music and theatre, is all set for a premiere on Friday.
The narrative follows the tortuous journey of a warrior that turns into an inward quest for a consummate harmony of body, earth and nature.
The production, which is said to be inspired by one of the world’s oldest martial art forms, Kalaripayattu, seeks to provide the audience an immersive experience in what is at its core a tribute to Mother Earth.
The show, which is a creative collaboration of Kalarigram (next to Adishakti), the French theatre company Water Carriers, and Ritam, Auroville, is being staged at Kalarigram on three successive nights from September 1. The scheduled start is 7.30 p.m.
“The making of Bhu was a beautiful adventure over more than a year at the Kalarigram which allowed us to research the ancient martial art form of Kalaripayattu,” said Philippe Pelen Baldini, artistic director of the show and founder, along with Thierry Moucazambo, of the Reunion Island-based Water Carriers and International Talipot theatre.
“The creation is a contemporary dance theatre show based on Kalaripayattu, which is among the most world’s ancient martial art forms. It is about the journey of a man who is looking for connection with himself and nature,” says Nikhil Varagiri, Project coordinator for Bhu.
More than merely offering a narrative or the element of theatre spectacle, the show would have succeeded if it engaged the audience in an imaginary travel along with the protagonist and shaped a universal experience, he said.
The theatre production is anchored in the ancient Indian tradition of connecting with the Bhuthas (five elements): earth, water, fire, air and ether. According to this philosophic thought, through connecting with the five elements, humans can reconnect with the very source of all matter as they attain a state of supreme consciousness.
According to Varagiri, who is also a Kalaripayettu exponent and trainer at Kalarigram, the protagonist of the show invokes the spirit of one of five primary Bhu elements (earth).
The Kalari warrior carries, in his body, the memory of the earth. Through this process, we are able to reconnect to the pure origin that keeps him in motion with the heartbeat of the earth. “We create a dialogue between the earth and the body of the performers, music and the audience,” he said.
The inflection point in the warrior’s journey is his meeting with a Kalaripayattu guru who imparts him lessons far more valuable than secrets to become a great fighter. The master latter teaches him how to fight the demons within…his fears, his ego and how to dance with the elements as with the wild beasts.
Experimental play
According to the producers, the show questions the body memory of the dancer, one with earth and nature. At one level, it is an experimental play that uses both modern theatrical , choreoegraphic tools and the traditional form of kalaripayettu to create an organic dance, a contemporary show.
The performers are Kalaripayattu warriors / dancers/ healers / masters in energy through whom the audience experiences the origin of movement and theatrical act, or what in Kalaripayettu parlance is the phase of “becoming all eyes” when the body as a whole is connected with the environment and nature.
According to Varagiri, Kalaripayettu is deemed to be the origin of many forms of theatre, dance and martial art in Asia, such as Kathakali, Koodiyattam and even Kung Fu.
The earliest Masters of Kalari were inspired by nature and took their forms from eight different animals — elephant, horse, lion and wild boar. These postures evolved into styles of combat and contemplation.
For the creation of the artistic form of Bhu, Kalaripayattu is explored in its artistic form, the ‘Lasya Tatva’. The Kalaripayattu masters are warriors as well as healers, who harness the energising potential of human touch.
“Kalaripayattu embeds the origins of dance and theatre and in the production we explore it in a contemporary way,” Mr. Baldini said.
Lakshman Gurukkal, founder of Kalarigram and Barbara, founder of Ritam, Auroville helped guide the production.
Originally, the show was set to premiere at Kalarigram, the cradle of the concept, on August 18 but had to be deferred. This gave an audience at the Alliance Francaise the privilege of a first look with a pre-booked show being staged on Saturday, before the premiere proper.
Bhu is set to tour internationally in 2018.
