Lalit Gupta
JAMMU, Feb 4: Sponsored by Nutan Prayas Manch, NIFT 2020, the ongoing international theatre festival is climbing up a notch everyday as the so far featured plays have not only enthralled the audience but also as a great learning experience for local amateur theatre directors, actors and so-called light and music designers.
Stage on the fourth day of the NIFT 2020, at Abhinav Theatre, here, today’s adaptation of Dharamvir Bharati’s anti-war drama Andha Yug, by TAAM drama ensemble from Manipur under design and direction of NSD graduate Joy Maisnam left a mark for its novel mix of folk music and dance, martial arts and acting.
The production which for its ‘psycho-physical’ style has won META 2019 award (Mahindra Excellence in Theatre Award) highlights selective elaboration of the aftermath of the 18-day war between the Kauravas and the Pandavas and ends with the death of Lord Krishna.
The plot in which parade of characters like Ashwatthama, Gandhari, Dhritarashtra, Kritavarma, Sanjaya, Old Mendicant, Vyasa , Vidura , Yudhishthira, Kripacharya Yuyutsu, Dumb Soldier, Balrama and Krishna-appearing on stage or as background voices-reveal their moral positioning, ethical dilemmas and inner contradictions..
It was performers’ innovative use of the physical to reach the psychological state of the characters especially the depiction of mindless destruction, emerged as the hall mark of today’s performance marked with minimum use of dialogues. The masterly light design by Sahitya Natak Awardee Avtar Sahni and sound design by Debarati Majumdar contributed in rendering the play as a visual as well as aural treat for the spectators.
Tomorrow, play Agarbatti will be staged by Sangan Rangmandal, M.P., under the direction of Swati Dubey.
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