The 25th year of Thespo’s theatre festival begins next week with a host of workshops and performances for theatre lovers in the city. Here’s a curation of the best picks
A moment from a previous performance of the play Shim Cheong
This year, celebrations for Thespo’s milestone festival edition will unravel through the theme — A stage for every shade — all next week.
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Co-founder Toral Shah shares, “This milestone is a testament to the theatre community, for them wanting to make the industry stronger, viable and more vibrant. With the senior members of the community giving time and expertise in workshops and conversations, and young storytellers scripting plays, this milestone is a shared movement. The main highlight of this 25th edition is our collaborations.”
Toral Shah
Among them is as a presentation of Sinhalese writer Ruwantha de Chickera’s Ping by the Stages Theatre Group from Sri Lanka. Another inventive performance is by writer Jino J Ampakkadu, who will host his Table and Stool initiative, where passers-by can pull up a chair and narrate their story to an audience of one — Ampakkadu himself.
Prithvi Theatre. File pic
The festival will also witness playwright, actor and director Satish Alekar being honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award for his profound work in Marathi theatre. A short film on Alekar’s work will be screened on the evening followed by a conversation with the theatre maker.
ON December 4 to December 10
AT Prithvi Theatre, Juhu; Veda Kunba Theatre, Four Bungalows, Andheri West.
LOG ON TO thespo.org/register
The Guide’s top picks:
Arghya Lahiri at a workshop during a previous edition
December 4
. Light it up
Learn about the essential and underrated art of stage lighting with writer-director Arghya Lahiri at this Magic Hour workshop.
ON Monday, December 4; 10 am to 8 pm
AT Prithvi Theatre, Juhu.
EMAIL thespo25 @thespo.org
CALL 241642142 (for details)
COST Rs 3,000 (fees and refundable deposit included)
Henry Naylor. Pic Courtesy/Henrynaylor.co.uk
December 5
. Write way to laugh
British playwright Henry Naylor will bring his insight into, and guide participants through the secret to cracking the difficult art of comedy, timing and nuance at this two-day workshop.
ON December 5 and December 6; 10 am onwards
AT Prithvi House, Juhu.
EMAIL thespo25@thespo.org
CALL 241642142 (for details)
COST Rs 1,900 (fees and refundable deposit included)
. Hear them out
Listen to a spoken verse performance of Sinhalese playwright Ruwantha de Chickera’s Ping that delves into the concerns of teenagers in a new age.
TIME 3.30 pm
AT Prithvi Adda, Juhu.
EMAIL thespo25@thespo.org
CALL 241642142 (for details)
FREE
Amit Vikram Pandey
. Poetic evenings
Join Vanika Sangtiani, Gunjan Saini, Amit Vikram Pandey and other poets and creators as they share their journey through poetry.
TIME 6 pm to 6.45 pm
AT Prithvi Theatre foyer, Juhu.
FREE
December 6
. Middle class marvel
The late Shiv Subrahmanyam’s work returns to his favourite haunt starting with this deep dive into an artiste’s struggle with the Indian middle class in Clogged Arteries.
TIME 3.30 pm
AT Prithvi Adda, Juhu.
FREE
. Social examination
Explore the drama of the romance, humour and horror that flourishes amid the rising fears of communal riots in a deeply moving play centred around humanism in Karwat.
TIME 7 pm
AT Prithvi House, Juhu.
FREE
December 7
. Lead by design
How do you transform the stage into a magical world of its own? Production designer on films such as Ankhon Dekhi and Dum Laga Ke Haisha, Meenal Agarwal’s workshop for stagehands explores practical production design.
ON December 7 and December 8; 10 am onwards
AT Prithvi House, Juhu.
EMAIL thespo25@thespo.org
CALL 241642142 (for details)
COST Rs 1,700 (fees and refundable deposit included)
. Fringe performance
Muslim Mythology by Mohammed Ellyas Lehry transforms you into an audience for a few real, a few fictional, and all extraordinary stories by Muslim theatre-makers.
ON December 7; 7 pm to 8 pm
AT Prithvi House, Juhu.
LOG ON TO thespo.org/register
FREE
Heeba Shah
December 8
. Relearn stagecraft
A perfect opportunity for actors, this workshop is hosted by actor-director Heeba Shah who will demonstrate the right way to use body, voice and
imagination to refine your craft on stage.
ON December 8, 1.30 pm;
December 9, 10 am
AT Prithvi House, Juhu.
EMAIL thespo25@thespo.org
CALL 241642142 (for details)
COST Rs 2,100 (fees and refundable deposit included)
Actors rehearse the play, A Study of Fear
. Facing the truth
A Study of Fear revolves around a friend’s funeral that those grieving are not prepared for. This multi-lingual play, that is written and directed by Atif Ally Dagman, invites the audience to find fun in funerals.
ON December 8; 6 pm and 9 pm
AT Prithvi Theatre, Juhu.
LOG ON TO in.bookmyshow.com
COST Rs 350
A moment from the Korean play, Shim Cheong
December 9
. Tales from the East
Catch a retelling of the ancient Korean folktale about love and sacrifice told through the journey of Shim Cheong, whose love for her father leads her to some miraculous discoveries.
TIME 6 pm and 9 pm
AT Prithvi Theatre, Janki Kutir, Juhu.
LOG ON TO in.bookmyshow.com
COST Rs 350
December 10
. Awards night
ON December 8 and 9; 3.30 pm (reading of Satish Alekar’s works); December 10; 6 pm to 8.30 pm (presentation ceremony)
AT Prithvi Adda, Juhu; Veda Kunba Theatre, Andheri West.
LOG ON TO thespo.org/register
FREE
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