Bangalore, for a casual observer, has become a city of milling crowds, congested traffic and multi-storeyed office buildings. There is more to the city than all that, say the cast of WeMove theatre group, who have conveyed this feeling through their recent production Namma Metro .
Written and directed by 28-year-old Abhishek Iyengar, founder of the group, this Kannada play takes a look at the city of yesteryears, where people would just sit on a bench and talk about all and sundry.
Sitting down to talk
In the play, there are four Bangaloreans — a software engineer, a senior citizen, a middle-aged bank employee and a peanut seller, who meet at a tea shop, and start talking about various topics, from politics and religion to their own lives. “We try to portray the city through them,” said Abhishek.
A year ago, after a show in Malleswaram, the WeMove members went into a shop for some snacks, and had to sit on a bench outside because of the crowd inside. There, the idea for a play depicting people just sitting on a stone slab and talking about various things was born.
Different skills
Each person in the group comes from a different background and they are connected only by their love for their city and for theatre.
Radhika Narayan is a Kathak dancer and loves art; she initially joined WeMove theatre to give dance performances, but soon began to act.
“I was hesitant about acting at first, but was infected by my colleagues' infectious spirit,” she said.
Abhishek has been involved in theatre for the past seven years, and has written many plays in Kannada and English. “My uncles were involved in theatre, and they were my inspiration,” he said.
Sohan Raghavendra's is a different story. He studied medicine but also discovered his passion for acting. So, he juggles time between hospitals and the stage now. “I thought anyone could be an actor. Joining this group was a reality check and a great learning experience,” he said. He has previously done small roles in plays, and Namma Metro was his first big break. He also leads the WeMove music team.
WeMove theatre was originally a part of WeMove Foundation for Performing Arts (WFPA), which was founded in September 2006. Later, they broke away from WFPA and created their own space to explore new forms of theatre.
The group, now, has two offshoots as well — WeMove Digital which makes short films and advertisements, and Webz which seeks to enhance business opportunities and marketing for the group.
