Puducherry will play host to renowned French theatre artiste Ariane Mnouchkine and teams from her Paris-based theatre group Théâtre du Soleil and its ‘école nomade’ in December and January, cementing this region’s position as an emerging hub for theatre arts.
Considered Europe’s foremost experimental theatre director, Ms. Mnouchkine is the recipient of the prestigious The International Ibsen Award (2009), and the first Europe Theatre Prize of the European Commission in 1987. Her 1978 film Molière was nominated for the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival and scored wins and nominations at the César Award, France’s national film award.
The visit, being organised by the Alliance Francaise of Puducherry, Institut Francais (French Institute), Indianostrum theatre, and supported by the Department of Tourism, Puducherry Government, will have two parts to it. The first is the arrival of Ms. Mnouchkine and 12 of her actors from the école nomade who will hold a workshop for around 80 Indian and international actors, sharing their experiences and knowledge.
The ‘école nomade’, a mobile school of sorts, aims to take the tools of theatre to different countries through workshops, in an experience of sharing and learning. It has travelled to countries like England, Sweden, Afghanistan and Chile. This will be held from December 8 to 30 in Puducherry, and is open to anyone over the age of 18. “It does not matter whether or not you have studied drama before, you must simply want to engage in the experiment of collective theatre-making,” said Indianostrum theatre in a note.
The workshop will have ‘moments of practical reflection, involving improvisation, masks, music, dance, and movement, in which Mnouchkine and her troupe seek to set out, explain, and clarify their methods, and their collective way of working’, said the note.
The second part is a workshop conducted by Théâtre du Soleil from January 2 to 28, 2016, and will have 44 actors from the theatre group in Puducherry, adding colour to the cultural life here, said Alliance Francaise in a note.
Those interested to help out with the accommodation in December and January for the visiting actors can contact the Alliance Francaise at 58, Suffren Street.
