It’s a busy fortnight for three artists currently in the Capital. One of them, the Oslo-based Sudesh Adhana, will be choreographing Dre, an original production based on the epic Mahabharata.
The hour-long performance will do a selective telling of the epic. This is Mahabharata seen through the eyes of a woman — Gandhari, the blind-folded-by-choice mother of the Kauravas.
“We are not telling the story in all its intricacies,” says Dadi Pudumjee, director and trustee of The Ishara Puppet Theatre Trust who will pack in his own frenetic week. Dre has some firsts to its credit — a Norwegian score and lights designer.
As the man behind the concept and choreography of Dre, Adhana believes that Mahabharata being the most staged Indian epic, “is relevant in today’s times of war”.
Veteran puppeteer Pudumjee is part of the performance and adds that “the production is a collaborative piece from Norway”.
Kathak dancer Aditi Mangaldas is the third person in the show who will be kept on her toes. Mangaldas, who likes to experiment, says that even though her “body language is Kathak”, she has tried to move beyond the confines of the dance form.
Pudumjee agrees: “There is scope for lots of movement. There’s emotion in these pieces. It’s not just dance... Don’t expect the usual drama” Dre raises some existential questions. It examines the concept of winners and losers. Is any war ever truly over? Is Krishna at peace when the Kauravas lie dead? If not questions, it will sure raise some eyebrows.
{{/usCountry}}Pudumjee agrees: “There is scope for lots of movement. There’s emotion in these pieces. It’s not just dance... Don’t expect the usual drama” Dre raises some existential questions. It examines the concept of winners and losers. Is any war ever truly over? Is Krishna at peace when the Kauravas lie dead? If not questions, it will sure raise some eyebrows.
{{/usCountry}}Passes for Dre are available at the Kamani Auditorium. Catch other events of the puppet festival during February 11-18.
Tickets are at Rs 200, Rs 100 for the shows at IHC and Rs 250 for the one at Epicentre. For more details, visit isharapuppet.com