Lalit Gupta
JAMMU, Dec 1: Nawor, a play by Tiwa Bhakha-Sanskriti Charcha Samittee, Imphal, was the attraction on the penultimate day of North-Eastern Theatre Festival being organized by National School of Drama, New Delhi in collaboration with J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages, at Abhinav Theatre Theater, here today.
Written by Manoj Kumar Deoraja and directed by Sahidul Haque, the play in Tiwa dialect, that focuses on the language and culture of Tiwa community, was about the immortal love between Nawor-a Tiwa prince, and Zalas, an exceptionally beautiful daughter of a poor man. The news of their love affair reaches the king and the queen put a condition that if the prince is able to make a boat overnight, he can marry Zalas.
When the prince is about to finish the boat, the conspirator in the court deceive the prince by announcing the day break by the false crowing of the cock. The crestfallen prince abandons his kingdom and Zalas also falls dead.
As compared to earlier plays of the ongoing fest, today’s play though laced heavy with elements of dance and music, was an honest-to-goodness production. Marked with a set that comprised of different levels placed at the backstage: The block on the right denoted king’s court, the elevated but rising level on the left, as the way to the village, and the foreground as the open ground/forest, provided the actors a flexibility for seemingly impromptu dance sequences-alluding to Arcadian rhythms of North-Eastern tribes.
The dramatic action mostly acted out through gestures and fluid body movements, along with soulful flute as the constant background score rendered the performance as an enchanting experience where the Tiwa language of the play proved to be no barrier.
Tomorrow, Nongban Soura, a Manipuri play by Imphal Theatre Group, will be staged under the direction of Liotongbam Parnigamba.
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