Macbeth Sagara Kanyaka Bhagavadajjukam The Lesson

Calicut, Kasargod, Palakkad, Thrissur, Cochin, Moovattupuzha, Kottayam, Kollam, Thiruvananthapuram

Organized by Abhinaya Theatre Research Centre

2nd Abhinaya Summer Theatre Festival 201126 April - 07 June 2011

4 Plays, 9 Cities, 27 Nights, 40 Artists ...

Calicut, Kasargod, Palakkad,Thrissur, Cochin, Moovattupuzha, Kottayam, Kollam, Thiruvananthapuram

Theatre at its best will henceforth mark the Kerala Summers. This organic art which encompasses the agony and ecstasy of human existence will travel through the Kerala heartland, rekindling imagination, introspection and euphoria.

With selected plays from the creme of their repertoire... Abhinaya presents its second summer theatre festival this year. The travelling theatre festival will traverse Kerala, celebrating more than a month of contemporary themes on stage.

Ranging from women empowerment to environment to education, the plays in the festival will showcase the changing dynamics of a changing society through performance art.

The curtains will go up with Macbeth in Kozhikkode on 26th of April. The festival will then travel to Kasargode, Thrissur, Palakkad, Ernakulam, Muvattupuzha, Kottayam, Kollam to culminate in Thiruvananthapuram. The plays to be performed include the widely acclaimed ‘Sagara Kanyaka’, the Bard’s ‘Macbeth’, the renowned ‘The Lesson’ and the conscient ‘Bhagavadajjukam’.

About the playsThe plays to be staged at the 2nd Abhinaya summer theatre festival 2011 are

Sagara Kanyaka

Macbeth

This play, an adapted version of Ibsen’s ‘The Lady from The Sea’, focuses primarily on the three lead characters - The Man, The Woman and The Stranger.

The story weaves through absurdities, the lack of understanding and the constant search for meaning, selfhood and existence in human relationships.

The adaptation has been conceptualised as one beyond space, time and names placing the themes of estrangement and unfamiliarity in relationships as the central focus.

This is a stylized adaptation that concerns more with the psychological realms of the central character Macbeth.The story is told through the three central characters, Macbeth, Lady Macbeth and Banquo, these in turn being mere reflections of Macbeth himself.

The adaptation perceives Shakespeare’s Macbeth as a surreal poetry and is structured more as a ritual, a psychological saga to rekindle and awaken the soulless mob on the run.

Bhagavadajjukam

The Lesson

The contemporary adaptation of the 2000 year old Bhodayana’s Sanskrit text by the same title, ‘Bhagavadajjukam’ debates spirituality and materialism. The self - oriented political community, where one is driven by utilitarian behavioural norms and commercialised morals are subtly highlighted, criticised and poked at in this satirical theatre piece.

A hilarious adaptation of Eugene Ionesco’s celebrated French absurd play by the same name, it presents the absurdity of life through situations that seem and appear most common and ordinary. It puts forth certain arguments on the very purpose of education and the systems that are blindly adhered to in this regard.

About us

Abhinaya Theatre Research Centre - the flagship dramatic art practitioners of the state focusing on contemporary themes and stylisations that redefine the language of stage.

Established in 1992, Abhinaya has produced and performed around hundred plays. The research centre, conceived jointly by D Reghoothaman and late S Ajayan, is now home to some of the best theatre practitioners of the country. The works of Abhinaya are widely acclaimed and have received promotion and support from the art and culture hubs from the world over. The front ranking productions Sidhartha, Macbeth, Sagara Kanyaka, Bhagavadajjukam and Verdigris were staged at the prestigious venues of Asia, Europe, UK, and Latin America along with notable Indian theatre festivals including the Bharath Rang Mahotsav, Prithvi Theatre Festival and Ibsen International Theatre Festival.

At the helm of the creative activities at Abhinaya are D Reghoothaman and Jyothish MG The former, an actor-director is perhaps the best talent Matayalam Theatre has ever produced, both in terms of dedication and perfection. The latter, the director-actor-trainer, is the brain, mind and conscience behind the hallmark productions of Abhinaya. The recipient of the prestigious Sanskriti Prathishtan Award for Excellence in Theatre, Jyothish and his works are hailed for imaginative, path breaking approach to the medium. The centre also nurtures around forty other talents from music, stage design, theatre management and graphic art along with an ensemble of trained actors.

The research centre, at a sprawling 3.5 acres of land at the outskirts of Thiruvananthapuram, also hosts a learning ground for aspiring actors. A drama therapy workshop for autistic and differently abled children also function annually from Abhinaya premises.

Our Team

On stage

D Reghoothaman, Parvathi T, Sreenivas VK, Baiju M, Shylaja P Ambu, Dr. Venu V, Pratheesh RP, Abhija Sivakala, Bilas Nair, Shajahan MS, Ajayakumar, Rajesh Chandran, Hima, Fawas, Yukthiraj, Arjun T Pillai, Balu S, Bhagat Sanu, Vivek, Akhil Chandran, Shameer, Jyothish R, Diya

Off stage

Jyothish MG, Bandhu Prasad, Sridhar P, Krishnan Nair, Jayesh P, Sreekanth T, Biju K, Manu VR, Sivan, Shafeek, Jose Koshy, Akhil UR

Abhinaya Theatre Research Centre

K. P XI / 671-A, Plathara, Vencode. POThiruvananthapuram, Kerala-695 028

www.abhinayatheatrevillage.orge-mail.abhinayatheatre@gmail.com

Mob: +91 938 722 4599 +91 938 749 0224 +91 938 749 0221

Tel : +91 471 329 8088