On stage: a magical experience
DEEPA KURUP
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Get ready for a theatre fest that will thrill you, whatever age group you may belong to.
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IT'S PLAY TIME: For children, by children and of children.
Six children sat in a semi-circle
around the puppet show.
A modern-day puppet show,
which showed a boy playing a computer
game -- perhaps even being
consumed by it entirely. This performance
is only a small preview of
what will be on offer for children at
the 10-day-long "Aha! International
Theatre Festival for Children."
Many groups
Aha! Yes, this title says it all, and
probably what you will say when
you see the variety of theatre experiences
that will unfurl at this festival
organised by Ranga Shankara
in Bangalore from August 26 to
September 6.
So, how would you enjoy this
seemingly serious experience? It is
especially designed for children as
young as 20 months, to 14 years,
and has theatre groups from Germany,
Australia and Argentina,
not to mention many others from
India, explains Arundhati Nag, or
the `ranga shankara' aunty as children
fondly call her.
"Aha!" an organisation promoting
theatre for children, by children
and of children, has been
staging plays in schools and for
children for three years now. This
is the first festival of its kind, and
what's more, this year the international
groups and a play from Rangashankara
called Zapperdockel
and the Wock will also be taken to
Chennai.
`Garbage Mouse' staged by a
German group, `The Stones' from
Australia and `Pirates Code' from
Argentina, are a few plays that are
on the cards. `The Great Lalula,' a
charming and well-researched
production for children aged 20
months to three years promises to
be an interesting and novel experience.
Welcome participation
Arundhati Nag, creative director
of Rangashankara, and the famous
playwright and the theatre's chairperson
Girish Karnad welcomed
participation, and also hoped that
schools would get in touch with
them, so they can take this theatre
experience to schools and reach a
larger audience.
It's very important that children
watch theatre and are exposed to
the magic of a live performance,
Karnad said. The festival also includes
symposia for theatre
groups.
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