“Kaun Angdaai Le Raha hai ‘Adam’
Do Jahan Ladkhadaye Jaate Hain”
The words of Abdul Hamid Adam reflect the sensual power of this seemingly unconscious action. Through movement, somatics and a soundscape that both reacts to and is influenced by the performers Vaishnavi and Aabshaar, this choreographic exploration takes us on a trip to feel the poetic resonance of the angdaai–far beyond the ‘lazy stretch’ that it translates into in English. Sound artist Surbhi Mittal works with an array of audio to create a live sonic environment that both feeds off and influences the energy and the movements of the performers we see.
The Angdaai Project came out of the pandemic—and looks at belonging to the body and how the body belongs, manifests, connects and unites the inside with the outside. For the threesome presenting this work in progress, it's an invocation—an opening, a shift, a reset button for the body and soul. This is the first public iteration that asks the audience to participate in its evolution.
Embodied is an exploratory, performative dialogue between a contemporary dancer (Surjit) and a classical dancer (Babina). Collectively, the duo dive into the history and techniques of Manipuri dance–a form that they each embody. Through this piece they introduce the audience to the specific socio-cultural sensibilities that Manipuri dance is imbued with; sensibilities and context that have, at times in the past, been conflicting. The program combines talk, engaging the audience in the history of Manipuri dance and how it has evolved in its performance aspects. Through demonstration, Babina urges us to peel past these layers and ask fundamental questions regarding the form and, by extension, perhaps classical dance itself. What does the dancer themselves embody? Where does the core of Manipuri dance lie–in the language of its performance or in its time-honoured tradition of restraint?
In this exploratory presentation Surjit and Babina lead the audience to a land and culture that mainland India, as illustrated by the ongoing conflict in the state, has invariably kept at arm's length. Along with their own questions of how they embody this classical form they urge us to question wider ideas of how we might belong to one-another. Or not…
Johar’s latest solo performance headlines the first day of Little Stint II. The 75-minute piece, which has been hailed as ‘groundbreaking’, is very much based in current times. It explores the extremes in our lives, both political and personal. Johar harnesses all his powers as a dancer, choreographer and yogi in this theatrical work based on the prison diaries of the young revolutionary Bhagat Singh. It draws particular influence from the searing clarity—particularly for a 23-year-old facing death at the hands of the Empire—of the essay Why I am an Atheist. Vocals by Madan Gopal Singh and K Venkateshwaran emphasise the extremes of thought and emotion and immerse the audience in the mind of a young man coming to terms with where he belongs.
There are several similarities in the early lives of Bhagat and Johar. Born to conservative, religious Punjabi families, both grew up with those inherited values. Both were drawn to the works of the great Punjabi poets. Over time, each grappled with values, beliefs, the status quo in society and their role in it. Each emerged from this inner struggle with clarity and grace. As a male Bharatanatyam dancer Johar continues to push the envelope–of form and substance. Tanashah–-as much an homage to the old poets of Punjab as a reiteration of his relationship with Bhagat as a poet and a revolutionary–is a powerful and moving addition to his award-winning body of work.
Immerse yourself in the rich, diverse and fragile ecosystem of the Sunderbans with this exceptional piece of object and material theatre. Maati Katha, as the name says, takes on the tradition of telling stories of the earth, using objects made from the earth. In the Sunderbans, by whose art, lifestyle, philosophies and peoples this play is inspired, life is a delicate balance; between human and human, human and animal, land and water, calm and storm. As folklore goes, Bonbibi, the lady of the forest and guardian spirit of the world’s largest mangrove ecosystem, promised cohabitation for all life. But only as long as they played by the rules. When Bonbibi turned her back on the Sunderbans, devastation followed. In this piece performers Mohammad Shameem and Choiti Ghosh weave multiple narratives cutting across class, caste, religion and gender.
For an urban audience in the nation’s capital these narratives tell a reflective tale. They lead us to the question, “what have we done with the earth?”. As the impact of human-induced climate change is felt by peoples across the Global South, tales from the Sunderbans allow us the space to question who belongs to whom and where we will go when we force our guardian spirits to turn their backs on us. Maati Katha is a piece for our times with relevance across age and class, dark and light, material and spiritual.
Produced by Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society & Pickle Factory Dance Foundation, Kolkata.
Day Two of Little Stint II closes with this powerhouse ensemble piece that puts a very 2020s spin on the work and beliefs of Kabir. The foundation of the work was laid by Bhisham Sahni and built on by director MK Raina’s critically-acclaimed play by the same name. Now Dastaan LIVE, a patchwork ensemble fusing myriad musical genres and traditions, brings a new life to the words and works of Kabir highlighting how much the 15th century poet and activist belongs to these times as he did back then.
In its Little Stint avatar Dastaan LIVE presents a multi-member rock and roll rendition composed and arranged by Baan G, fusing bass, percussion and vocals with an overarching message of peace, love and awareness that will leave you feeling hopeful and awakened.
“Zig Zags to Earth" is a shadow puppet play that blends traditional shadow puppetry with the innovative use of an overhead projector. The play revolves around the water cycle and includes material play with water. The combination of these storytelling techniques and elements not only results in striking visuals, but also transforms the performance into a rich sensory experience.
Zig, the protagonist of the play, is a being from another planet. Zig’s view of all earthly beings as belonging to the same bucket urges us to question an anthropocentric view of the world and suggests instead a kinship between us all. From their point of view the audience is asked to engage with water from a fresh perspective; one that allows engagement between the mundane and the extraordinary.
Zig Zags to Earth was created with the support of Goethe Institut/Max Mueller Bhavan and the Katkatha Puppet Arts Trust. It premiered at the Katkatha Puppet Fringe Festival at Max Mueller Bhavan.
The work is an adaptation of Andreas Flourakis’ award-winning play 'I Want A Country'. The story goes a little something like this…crisis in a nameless nation sparks the demand for change. Not finding that change, a group of young citizens seek to chart a course for a ‘new country’, a new identity, fresh values, somewhere they feel safe…Rihla is their rihla. The literal journey on which they argue and fight; mock and educate; reveal their dreams, fears and secrets. On their voyage to this new place, a place where they have no antecedents, they define a quest for a new world; to a place they can only imagine. A place where each of their expressions of belonging find space to exist.
Aagaaz are a community of educators and arts practitioners, committed to examining and questioning ‘what is’, to inquire ‘what could be’. They practice theatre and arts for social action to bridge gaps in learning, understanding the ‘other’, access, and dignity. The repertory members have all come out of Aagaaz’s first phase of community work in Nizamuddin. They co-produce, with playwrights and directors in New Delhi, works that allow larger audiences to engage with the questions that they and many others have to face on a daily basis and to include those audiences in the search for answers.
Ever fancied being on stage? Turns out a whole bunch of us have, but for many it’s remained a fantasy. On the final day of the capsule you have the chance to be part of a rotating ensemble of players bringing a great script to life in real time.
We’ll kick things off with a brief warm-up – simple physical exercises and character orientation to get everyone into the groove. Members of the audience will then take turns reading different scenes from the script facilitated by an experienced theatre practitioner.
No prior preparation or theatre experience is necessary. Come as you are, in comfortable attire, ready to engage and have fun! The script is a secret for now, sign up and we might let you in on it! Time to unleash your inner stage demon and revel in the drama.