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Masks may have assumed a different context in our daily lives amid a global pandemic, but for the world of theatre, masks have been a sacred medium. One that helps artistes get under the skin of different characters and captivate the audience. Offbeat Circuit, established by theatre actor Dhiraj Wadhawani, is hosting an Instagram live session tomorrow, titled Playing with Masks, with Puja Saru, acclaimed theatre actor, director and co-founder of the theatre company, The Patchworks Ensemble. The session will take participants through the history of theatrical masks and their use as mediums to enable newer characters to emerge.

"While I had enrolled for a three-year programme at Helikos International School of Theatre Creation in Florence, Italy, an entire year was dedicated to masks. My teacher, Matteo Destro walked us through the process of creating our masks and using it as a theatric tool. The flow that one finds, and the characters that emerge, were eye-opening experiences. One has to put on a mask and play with it to experience its power. I will be sharing how masks are a great tool for actors to hone their skills," Sarup shares.

Puja Sarup

From the use of full masks where the performer can't speak to half masks where they have to find the voice of the mask, this session will help people look at it beyond a physical entity. "We will also talk about the rules of using masks, including why a performer should never put the mask face down or put their fingers through the eye holes. The session will show how the same mask on different people can reveal different characters," Sarup informs.

On July 19, 6 pm
Log on to @offbeatcircuit on Instagram

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