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Play : Mukhantar and conference
Venue: Kamani
Date: 16 th Jan
Time : 7.00 pm
Mukhantar, Conference: Dance Theatre Suite. 1 hr 30 mins
Prod. Bhoomika Dance Group, Delhi. Dir. Narendra Sharma
Story( Play)
The suite of four items begins with Sun and Earth, celebrating the eternal cosmic process, followed by Aalingan (‘The Embrace’), conveying the erotic ecstasy of body and soul. Mukhantar (‘Face over Face’) is a series of episodes devoted to Invocations, Dominance, Couriers, Ecstasy, Tribute and suffocation under Gas Masks. The faces covered with pieces of cloth assume suggestive connotations and become components of a design. The Conference draws on R K Laxman’s cartoons to create a piece of humour and satire. Posters, trumpets and files lead to the Conference, with the Chairman making the big announcement, followed by garlanding and clapping, and arguments and counter-arguments. The Conference comes to an abrupt stop when the Chairman is found asleep. The Chairman has a dream of a ghost attempting to snatch his chair away by force, with he fighting to retain it. As the Chairman wakes up, the Conference resumes in full swing, only to close again with the declaration of elections. The participants mill out, leaving a pile of files and papers for the rag picker to collect. As the rag picker puts a child’s picture into his sack, one hears the child’s pathetic moan.
About the Director
Starting as a student under Uday Shankar, the celebrated choreographer, at his Almora Centre, 1940-43, he worked with IPTA, 1945-46, and INT, 1947, before founding New Stage, 1949. Has been a leading choreographer for over five decades, contributing to several films, and grand ceremonies including the inauguration of the IX Asian Games, 1982, and Closing Event of Festival of India in USSR, Moscow 1988.
Director Speaks
‘For some time now, dance theatre and the verbal theatre have been getting closer, integrating the vocal and the movemental, developing deep mutual interest, and widening theatre audience. While dance with its pure technique has moved further towards life sensitivity and thus towards dance theatre, there is the growing realization that choreographers need to create a new language altogether.’
Cast and Credits
Chairman Narendra Sharma
Officials Sangeeta Sharma
Shubhro Ghosh
Monika Kumari
Experts Mahender Rawat Meenakshi Chopra Mukesh Sharma
Press Photographer Himani Sharma
Ghost Mahender Rawat
Trumpeter
Butler & Lakhan Deep
Newspaperman
Kabari-wala Santosh Chakravarty
Dancers Sangeeta Sharma, Fanishwar Bhasker, Mahender Rawat, Meenakashi Chopra, Himani Sharma, Shuhro Ghosh, Mukesh Sharma, Kakhan Deep, Santosh Chakravarty.
Light Gautam Bhattacharya
Music Sushil Dasgupta
Direction and Choreography Narendra Sharma
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ART & THEATRE