Period play with a difference
PRABALIKA M. BORAH
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The improvised version of the play Taramati… has no boring element in it.
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The play was an honest effort to clear the notion of period plays being ‘boring’.
WALK THROUGH HISTORY Premamati and Taramati's dance performances were good.
Horses, camels, fakirs, colourful dances, siddis (African drummers) and period costumes.
All this in a play. Taramati-The legend of an Artiste is an improvised version of its earlier performances.
Set in the period 1756-1772 in the kingdom of Golconda, the play, takes the audience through the majestic love story of poet-prince Sultan Abdullah Qutub Shah and singer-dancer Taramati. Staged at the historical Taramati Baradari, the attempt to re-create the 17th century era of Taramati was indeed a successful one.
No one complained climbing the steep steps to make themselves comfortable to the open air seating arrangement.
The play was an honest effort to clear the common notion of period plays being ‘boring’.
Big names
The background songs sung by Madhushree was a treat and so was the choreography by Alekhya, who played the character of Premamati. The better compositions were Piya baaj pyaala… and Kali Ghatayeen. Probably this is the first play with many big names.
The music for the play was composed by Karthik Illaiyaraja, M.S. Sathyu’s lighting added the magic glow and actors like Rashmi Seth, Arif Zakaria gave flawless performances.
One actor who added the peppy touch to the play was Sailaja, Taramati’s friend.
Interestingly the girl who played Sailaja is Baig’s assistant and was roped in the last minute as the original Sailaja met with an accident.
When the scene of Milad-un-nabi was on, the audience couldn’t help but take out their hand-phones and record the scene.
Dancing on uneven stone steps is not easy, but Alekhya (Premamati) and Madhu (Taramati) did it with ease.
Arif did a wonderful job, he would have suited the role even better had he focussed on gaining a few kilos.
This way he would have not only looked a real Prince but would have matched with Taramati as well.
Except for the mosquitoes and the sound from the nearby college fest, it was a wonderful evening of theatre.
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