The Imphal Free Press

New Delhi, November 27: The forthcoming 12th Bharat Rang Mahotsav (BRM), the annual International Theatre Festival of India to be held from January 6 to 22 in New Delhi will have four plays from Manipur which can give different special tastes to the theatre lovers. The Festival will showcase around 50 Indian plays apart from a few selected international plays.

The four plays are the legendary theater director Ratan Thiyam`s When We Dead Awaken, M.C. Thoiba`s Rajarshi Bhagyachandra, Sanabam Thaninleima`s Ashang Eina Aton and Toijam Shila Devi`s Black Orchid.

Sources from the National School of Drama, the organizer of the festival stated, "The 2010 Festival aims to showcase the synthesis of experience, tradition, new energy and vision, which infuses the dramatic form while creating a new language that pushes the boundaries of the known, the expected and the usual."

"A special focus in the 2010 festival will be evenings of theatre music and songs that will include stalwarts like B.V. Karanth, Jagmohan Upreti and Habib Tanvir.

Also, in recognition of the increasing importance played by technology in every area of contemporary existence, including the arts and creative expression, we will be holding backstage tours and technical/sound/light workshops. These shall be accompanied by exhibitions, interactive sessions with directors, one-to-one meetings for experts on special requests and video screenings, in addition to the performances comprising the rest of the BRM repertoire. In addition the BRM will also be host to a special round-table conference that will include eminent people from the world of theatre and the allied arts coming together in panels to discuss issues of current interest to practitioners.", it added.

The 70- minute play- When We Dead Awaken to be performed by the Chorus Repertory Theatre is Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen`s last play which centered essentially on the metaphysical and symbolic aspects of the characters. Arnold Rubek is a sculptor who has made a name for himself. However he has distanced himself from his wife who is drawn to Ulfhejm, an uncouth hunter, while Rubek himself gets involved with Irene, a beautiful woman from his past. As the play proceeds, she leads him to a mountaintop where an avalanche kills both of them as they approach the summit while Maja sings exultantly in the valley below.In the Manipuri adaptation, scenes from the three acts of the original play have been picked up and interpolated without altering the storyline or disrupting the continuity. However, to retain the sanctity of Ibsen no alteration has been made to his dialogues. Bhogen, Santikumari, Robindro and Indira are main cast of the play.

Based on the life of the saint king of Manipur-Rajarshi Bhagyachandra, the 75- minute play- Rajarshi Bhagyachandra is located in 18th century Manipur, a place where new realities and the challenges of its expanding boundaries were heralding the need to emerge from the cocoon of traditional beliefs and values. It was at this time that Rajarshi Bhagyachandra, a poet and visionary, emerged on the scene and created the Rasa Lila, a unique blend of Vaishnavism and Manipuri culture. As a soldier and King, he liberated Manipur and through his relentless war campaigns elevated it to a major player in the region.

The play looks at certain parts of Bhagyachandra`s life and philosophy, especially as juxtaposed against the views of Bidhu, a status-quoist and Amita, a radical. The play also includes debates on issues like war and peace, tradition, change and power politics, while developing into a quest for understanding contemporary situations of conflict and changing realities. M. C. Arun is the playwright. Arun.

Shantananda, Rameshchandra, Gita, Tiken, Phajaton, Nanao, Sanajaoba and Shyam are the main casts of the play to be staged by the Banian Repertory Theatre.

 

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