Children take centrestage

A clowning act by Monica Santos

It's gratifying for theatre-makers to perform for children, points out Michaela Talwar, co-founder, Andheri-based Harkat Studios. Parents tend to underestimate their kid's attention span, but they easily sit through half-an-hour long plays, she notes, adding, "It's also wonderful to see how much they grasp and comprehend without being prompted." And to introduce more kids to the magic of theatre, Harkat Studios, along with Extensions Arts, is hosting Baby Theatre Weekend 2021, where they will showcase acts created for children.

"Our idea is to capture and introduce the whole excitement of going to a theatre and of storytelling to kids early on," admits Talwar. Opening up the world of theatre to children also benefits their development. "For example, as far as attention span is concerned, parents aren't trained theatre-makers who know how to hold their attention. But [during a play] you realise that if your child wants to learn something, they can sit down and quietly observe. Of course, there's also creativity. A lot of kids come back home and replay what they've seen in a play. It's a learning experience for parents, too," she illustrates.

A scene from Chidiya Udd

The two-day festival will feature three acts - Chidiya Udd by Gillo Repertory Theatre, Dreamscape At Home by ThinkArts, and Clowning by Monica Santos. While Chidiya Udd and Clowning will be staged at the studio, Dreamscape At Home is available both as an offline as well as an at-home experience. It is a sensorial exploration of different materials such as paper, wool and clay, and spaces like forest or sky to allow kids to discover an imagined world through short videos. "At home, we would encourage parents to keep paper, wool and play dough, etc, so that they can experience these materials while watching the film with their kids. At the theatre, there will be a facilitator who will guide the children and parents through these materials while watching the films," Talwar explains about the piece that's aimed at kids aged between one-and-a-half and three years.

Michaela Talwar

Clowning will be produced and performed by performing clown Monica Santos, who also works as a medical clown with patients at hospitals. "She's so good at capturing the attention of children. We wanted an act that was high-energy, and it is about this girl who has a secret. It will be super exciting for two-to-four-year-olds," Talwar tells us about the interactive performance that will also teach kids how to express themselves. Chidiya Udd, meanwhile, is a movement-based piece about a bird and a child, and their friendship, joys and discoveries. "It's like sitting at the window and watching them have fun," Talwar says. It's aimed at kids aged between one and three.

Inspired by what Gillo Repertory Theatre once taught her, Talwar signs off with a note to parents bringing in their kids for this weekend of fun: "No shushing the children. Let them have fun."

On: November 13 and 14
At: Harkat Studios, Andheri West
Log on to: insider.in
Cost: Rs 250 onwards