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Photos: S.Thanthoni

Abstract: Devi Mahatmya.

It was not a message that came on a platter. It took flight from Indologist Suzanne Ironbiter’s interpretation of the text; an interpretation in verse - a monologue with Goddess Shakti that was filled with familiar mythological allusions and unfamiliar mindscapes. The dance theatre production was thus an abstraction of the abstract.

A dance performance by Mallika Sarabhai.

But within this tangle of music, dance and poetry, the visual representation was the most arresting. The movement choreography was quiet and controlled and reflected a sense of quiet contemplation. The props were brilliantly woven into this landscape creating imagery of breathtaking beauty.

The contrasts in presentation made a strong statement on their own. While the starkness of the all-white leotards-and-tights costume and the all-white stage décor contrasted excitingly with the colourful lighting and the colourful props, there was another less obvious distinction. It was to do with the unobtrusive and sometimes flat music that was set against the energy of the words intoned by Mallika in the recorded track that flowed continuously like a fast moving river, with ups and downs, sometimes tumbling over the bigger rocks and the harsher words. It was a matter of feel and mood all the way where the significance of the minutiae ceased to matter.

The opening lines were significant. There are wars in the minds of men. The Mahishasura Mardhini story, the most well-known in the text, was the focal point here. Larger than life props of the buffalo-demon, vivid red lighting, dramatic entries and exits through the auditorium, blood curdling yells were certainly over the top in the battle between good and evil, but surprisingly they did not take away from the otherwise minimalist interpretation.

There is no end to the war in man’s spirit... And as Shakti and Chandika kill the evil forces, the wise grandmother is called upon for succour. There were many gaps within the abstract production that some might argue is the very nature of abstract work. Added to the challenge was a faulty sound system, a dirty stage, an audio-visual input that was rendered irrelevant as it was projected at a height of over fifteen feet.

But nothing could take away from good dance by Mallika and her group of dancers from the Darpana Academy of Performing Arts, Ahmedabad. Not even the blasphemy of messing up a beautifully created visage of Goddess Chandika with leaves and fresh flowers. It provided an eventful opening for The New festival, Edition I.

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