It’s been a decade since The Hindu Theatre Fest introduced a taste of global theatre in Chennai. As it enters its eleventh edition, the annual fest promises to cater to a variety of tastes with its ensemble of plays ranging from classic comedies, avant-garde productions and some with a local flavour to them.
This year’s edition of the theatre fest was launched at The Park hotel here on Wednesday amid music and cheer. Welcoming the guests was Mukund Padmanabhan, curator of The Hindu Theatre Fest.
“The Theatre Fest is 11 years old today; still a fledgling when compared to The Hindu which will soon turn 138. Given that most theatre fests in India have a high rate of attrition, it is very encouraging that we’re still going strong,” said Mr. Padmanabhan, crediting a collaborative exercise and the variety on offer for the success of the fest. The aim of the fest has been to strike a balance and showcase plays that provoke people to think, he said.
Rajesh Radhakrishnan, acting general manager of The Park hotel, said, “We have been associated with The Hindu Theatre Fest since its inception and it is great to be able to promote art, culture and theatre. The fest features some immensely talented artists and theatre companies and we are happy and proud to be a part of it. Here’s hoping the fest continues to remain successful for many more years to come.”
Spread over two weekends and one mid-week special, the fest boasts a variety of productions including a Korean play and for the first time Tamil plays. “We’ve always had productions with a smattering of Tamil. This is the first time we'll have a completely Tamil play at the fest. We often get asked why we bring Korean plays every year. The answer is simple — they showcase the best theatre from their country in India,” explained Mr. Padmanabhan.
The Theatre Fest which opens on Friday, will feature seven plays with The Siddhus of Upper Juhu by Rage Productions leading the way. Theatre enthusiasts can then have their funny bones tickled with Three One Act plays by Stray Factory, Evam and Theatre Zero, before watching The Government Inspector by Akvarious Productions; the play is an adaptation of Nikolai Gogol’ s work and is considered to be one of the best satirical works. Patchwork Ensembles will then stage Ila , a play that explores the fluidity of gender and how we have boxed ourselves into the categories of male and female. The Koreans are back with an Indo-Korean production Hamlet Avataar , a dramatised interpretation of the Shakespearan classic, by Seoul Factory for the Performing Arts. Also on offer are Two to tango, Three to Jive by Ashvin Gidwani Productions and Between the Lines by Chhoti Production Co, which touches upon the underlying gender inequality in India’s affluent families.
The festival will also be held in Hyderabad from August 21 to 23 and in Bangalore from September 11 to 13 with three plays being staged in each city.
In Chennai the plays will be staged at Sir Mutha Venkatasubba Rao Concert Hall and one at Museum Theatre. Tickets are priced at Rs.1000, Rs.750 and Rs.400. Student passes at Rs.200 (balcony) are available subject to producing valid student ID for each seat during redemption. To book your ticket, log on to www.thehinduevents.com.
SponsorsThe Hindu Theatre Fest is presented by YES Bank and powered by Miot Hospitals. Associate Sponsor: Airtel Life Insurance Partner: LIC Radio Partner: Chennai Live Ticketing Partner: Eventjini Event Manager: Evam
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