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Mime your act: Prepare to be speechless as 15 teams are set to compete at Maunaantar
Maunaantar — a mime play competition, will be held in the city that will showcase the lesser-known art form
Maunaantar — a mime play competition, will be held in the city that will showcase the lesser-known art form. Fifteen theatre groups- independent and from city colleges, will participate in the competition which will take place after a two-year gap, owing to the pandemic.
The competition will be held on July 2-3 Bharat Natya Mandir.
“The focus of the competition is to emphasise on acting sans the dialogue. Importance will be on facial expressions, hand signals and body motions. Music also plays an important part in the play. This would help bring out new concepts. The competition will have all other aspects of a one-act play with set, lights, music, makeup and acting,” said Saumitra Kulkarni an organiser
“Mime is an opportunity to explore a new form for theatre enthusiasts. While not many use mime in India, this competition will help explore one more sense that of physical theatre, as in Maharashtra theatre is completely verbose,” said Ajay Joshi, a theatre scholar, who also took an orientation workshop of the participants.
Many of the participants are trying this form for the first time. “Mime is a fairly less explored medium in Marathi theatre and Maunaantar provides a fantastic platform to traverse through it! I, being a dancer, took this as an opportunity to build a non-verbal, dance medium to express my thoughts and opinions,” said Mugdha Hasamnis, representing EQ theatre group.
While the students of Drama Club IISER Pune, has begun rehearsals for their performance. “We have not worked on a production of this magnitude. This is a first for most of us, as it is our first offline play after the pandemic,” said Krish Pandey, a member of the club.
Akshay Kshirsagar, of the Talking Owlets said, “As artists we are always learning and experimenting the art with context to the time and phase things are in. Maunantar is different yet close to traditional theatre. We are excited to participate and decided to go in with Pantomime Play, which is a challenge.”
Maunaantar 2022 line up
July 2, session 1, 1.45 pm to 4 pm
-Amoris Dolores by The Drama Club IISER Pune
-Pending by MIT-WPU, Kothrud
-Ajab Rajachi Gajab Safar by Abhijaat Bal Natya Saunstha
July 2, Session 2, 5.00 pm to 8 pm
-Hadal by Raven Entertainment
-Ubhaari by BMCC, Pune
-Endless by PVG College of Engineering and Technology
-The Hole Story by EQ
July 3, session 1, 1.00 pm to 4 pm
-Yaatana by SCOE Art Circle
-Until I Found You by Modern College, Shivajinagar
-Bakshis by Natyasanskar Kala Akademy
-Passerby by Sky Studios
July 3, Session 2, 5.00 pm to 8 pm
-Bin Kuch Kahe, Bin Kuch Sune by LLKLP Production, Pune
-Talaachya Kaathavar by Ka Kha Ga Art & Education, Pune
-Square One by Talking Owlets
-Shrimantanchi Bhatukli by SITS, Narhe
