Prithvi Theatre Festival schedule

November 7

Charandas Chor at 11 am
This play is about a lovable chor, Charandas, who takes 4 vows in jest. He vows never to eat off a golden plate, never to ride on an elephant at the head of a procession, never to marry a queen and never to accept the throne of a country. His guru asks him to give up lying as well along with his 4 vows, Charandas agrees to his wish. At the end Charandas becomes the region's greatest thief and prankster, all the while refusing to lie even when it means peril to his own life.
Presented by: Naya Theatre
Performed by: Chaitram Yadav
Directed by: Habib Tanvir
At: Prithvi Theatre


November 8

Sahyande Makan - The Elephant Project at 9.30 pm
This play is based on a Malayalam poem written by Vyloppilli Sreedhara Menon. The play talks about the conflicts between the external and internal realities as symbolised by an elephant. The story is set against a temple festival in Kerala where the largest tusker stands in the centre with an idol of the deity on his back. As the festivities progress, the elephant drifts into a nostalgic dream of his childhood and he becomes increasingly involved in the hallucination and dreams about those forgotten paths in the Sahyadri Valley (Western Mountains), his girl friend and playmates. However, the movements of the elephant gets externally translated into a rampage and finally, he is shot to death.
Presented by: Theatre Roots And Wings
Performed by: Micari
Directed by: Sankar Venkateswaran
At: Prithvi Theatre

Charandas Chor at 8 pm
This play is about a lovable chor, Charandas, who takes 4 vows in jest. He vows never to eat off a golden plate, never to ride on an elephant at the head of a procession, never to marry a queen and never to accept the throne of a country. His guru asks him to give up lying as well along with his 4 vows, Charandas agrees to his wish. At the end Charandas becomes the region's greatest thief and prankster, all the while refusing to lie even when it means peril to his own life.
Presented by: Naya Theatre
Performed by: Chaitram Yadav
Directed by: Habib Tanvir
At: Horniman Circle Garden


November 9

The Hamlet Quartet at 9.30 pm
Watch Heiner Muller's Hamletmachine, Tom Stoppard's Rosencrantz and Guildenstern act in a world full of violence as you revisit Shakespeare's Hamlet.
Presented by: Amitesh Grover
Performed by: Laxmi Rawat, Nitin Kishor Bhajan, Savitha Rani and Vipin Bhardwaj
Directed by: Amitesh Grover
At: Prithvi Theatre
Exhibition: On The Road with Naya Theatre, 10 am to 8 pm
A revival of our 2004 exhibition on Habib Tanvir and Naya theatre.
Entry Free
At: Horniman Circle Garden


November 10

Neelkanth Nirala at 6 pm and 9.30 pm
Neelkanth Nirala celebrates the life of eminent Hindi poet Suryakant Tripathi.u00a0 This play follows Nirala's creative journey as he battles against stifling social and political values, personal tragedies and the overarching dominance of the English language, to become one of the most widely appreciated voices in Hindi literary arena.
Presented by: Nirman Kala Manch
Performed by: Hemant Mahore and Sharda Singh
Directed by: Sanjay Upadhyay
At: Prithvi Theatre

The Hamlet Quartet at 8 pm
Watch Heiner Muller's Hamletmachine, Tom Stoppard's Rosencrantz and Guildenstern act in a world full of violence as you revisit Shakespeare's Hamlet.
Presented by: Amitesh Grover
Performed by: Laxmi Rawat, Nitin Kishor Bhajan, Savitha Rani and Vipin Bhardwaj
Directed by: Amitesh Grover
At: Karnataka Sangha

Sahyande Makan - The Elephant Project at 8 pm
This play is based on a Malayalam poem written by Vyloppilli Sreedhara Menon. The play talks about the conflicts between the external and internal realities as symbolised by an elephant. The story is set against a temple festival in Kerala where the largest tusker stands in the centre with an idol of the deity on his back. As the festivities progress, the elephant drifts into a nostalgic dream of his childhood and he becomes increasingly involved in the hallucination and dreams about those forgotten paths in the Sahyadri Valley (Western Mountains), his girl friend and playmates. However, the movements of the elephant gets externally translated into a rampage and finally, he is shot to death.
Presented by: Theatre Roots And Wings'
Performed by: Micari
Directed by: Sankar Venkateswaran
At: Horniman Circle Garden
Exhibition: On The Road with Naya Theatre, 10 am to 8 pm
A revival of our 2004 exhibition on Habib Tanvir and Naya theatre.
Entry Free
At: Horniman Circle Garden

November 11

Harsingar at 6 pm and 9.30 pm
This play explores the dynamics of relationships between men and women, highlighting issues relating to women in the contemporary context, the Harsingar flower signifying women. The play is set in Domkach, a form of folk performance by women in rural Bihar about the love tiffs between husband and wife.
Presented by: Nirman Kala Manch
Performed by: Abhishek Sharma, Sharda Singh and Subhro Bhattarcharya
Directed by: Sanjay Upadhyay
At: Prithvi Theatre

Equus at 8 pm
Peter Shaffer's Equus is an intriguing exploration of normalcy and insanity, passion and pain, worship and religion. This play follows a 17-year old Alan Strang, a boy with a strange fascination for horses, a boy who blinds six of these animals in an inexplicable fit. What is normal, what is worship, what is passion, what is individuality? Equus throws up all these issues using the mythic figure of a horse as metaphor for worship, passion, pain and danger.
Presented by: Ranan's
Performed by: Vikram Iyengar, Shadab Kamal and Daminee Mukherjee
Directed by: Vikram Iyengar
At: Karnataka Sangha

Sahyande Makan - The Elephant Project at 8 pm
This play is based on a Malayalam poem written by Vyloppilli Sreedhara Menon. The play talks about the conflicts between the external and internal realities as symbolised by an elephant. The story is set against a temple festival in Kerala where the largest tusker stands in the centre with an idol of the deity on his back. As the festivities progress, the elephant drifts into a nostalgic dream of his childhood and he becomes increasingly involved in the hallucination and dreams about those forgotten paths in the Sahyadri Valley (Western Mountains), his girl friend and playmates. However, the movements of the elephant gets externally translated into a rampage and finally, he is shot to death.
Presented by: Theatre Roots And Wings'
Performed by: Micari
Directed by: Sankar Venkateswaran
At: Horniman Circle Garden
Exhibition: On The Road with Naya Theatre, 10 am to 8 pm
A revival of our 2004 exhibition on Habib Tanvir and Naya theatre.
Entry Free
At: Horniman Circle Garden


November 12

Kahan Gaye Mere Ugna at 6.30 pm and 9.30 pm
This play depicts the life of Vidyapati, Bihar's classical poet, through the work of contemporary poets Nagarjun, Rajkamal Chaudhri and Fanishwar Renu. Vidyapati, court poet of five kingdoms, was also a common man's poet, and known as a great bhakt of Lord Shiva. When Vidyapati comes to know that Ugna is actually Shiva, Shiva/Ugna runs away and Vidyapati spends the rest of his life searching for him.
Presented by: Niman Kala Manch
Performed by: Suman Kumar, Sharda Singh and Santosh Mehra
Directed by: Sanjay Upadhyay
At: Prithvi Theatre

Venissina Vyaapaaraa at 8 pm
One can trace globalisation right back to the 16th and 17th century, with the beginning of inter-continental trade. The two main strands of The Merchant of Venice are of trade and money transactions, and racial conflict. There is a community that thrives on slapping interest on interest. On the other, there is another community that believes this is sinful, but has no qualms about selling goods for huge profit margins. These two perspectives also present themselves as two religious faiths, raring to take each other head on.
Presented by: Ninasam Tirugata
Performed by: Gajendra K (Gaja), Gopalakrishna Deshpande and Jahida M A
Directed by: Akshara K V
At: Karnataka Sangha

Equus at 8 pm
Peter Shaffer's Equus is an intriguing exploration of normalcy and insanity, passion and pain, worship and religion. This play follows a 17-year old Alan Strang, a boy with a strange fascination for horses, a boy who blinds six of these animals in an inexplicable fit. What is normal, what is worship, what is passion, what is individuality? Equus throws up all these issues using the mythic figure of a horse as metaphor for worship, passion, pain and danger.
Presented by: Ranan
Performed by: Vikram Iyengar, Shadab Kamal and Daminee Mukherjee
Directed by: Vikram Iyengar
At: Horniman Circle Garden
Exhibition: On The Road with Naya Theatre, 10 am to 8 pm
A revival of our 2004 exhibition on Habib Tanvir and Naya theatre.
Entry Free
At: Horniman Circle Garden


November 13

The Flying Wallas: Opera Noir at 6 pm and 9.30 pm
This is a dark comedy play portraying lyrical conversation between a soprano and a ghost about God, murder and showbiz.
Presented by: Sridhar and Thayil
Performed and directed by: Jeet Thayil and Suman Sridhar
At: Prithvi Theatre

Bidesia at 8 pm
Bidesia revolves around a woman's determination to get her wayward husband back, after he migrates to Calcutta in search of work and takes up with another woman.
Presented by: Nirman Kala Manch
Performed by: Suman Kumar, Sharda Singh and Abhishek Sharma
Directed by: Sanjay Upadhyay
At: Karnataka Sangha

Aakaashabheri at 8 pm
An adaptation of Piyush Mishra's Hindi play, Gagan Damama Bajau, Aakaashabheri is about Sohni waiting for her beloved Bhagat Singh's release from prison. The story unfolds in historic episodes like the murder of Sanders as revenge to Lala Lajpat Rai's killing, the assembly bombing and the protest against jail conditions as responses to the socio-political ethos of the times. The narrative does not merely intend to retell history, but tries to trace the different ideologies and the various conflicts that were embedded in it, the play also hints that the time for a contemporary revolution has come.
Presented by: Ninasam Tirugata
Performed by: Yateesha Nam, Gajendra K, Prashanth D Siddi and Jahida M A
At: Horniman Circle Garden
Exhibition: On The Road with Naya Theatre, 10 am to 8 pm
A revival of our 2004 exhibition on Habib Tanvir and Naya theatre.
Entry Free
At: Horniman Circle Garden


November 14

Equus at 6 pm and 9.30 pm
Peter Shaffer's Equus is an intriguing exploration of normalcy and insanity, passion and pain, worship and religion. This play follows a 17-year old Alan Strang, a boy with a strange fascination for horses, a boy who blinds six of these animals in an inexplicable fit. What is normal, what is worship, what is passion, what is individuality? Equus throws up all these issues using the mythic figure of a horse as metaphor for worship, passion, pain and danger.
Presented by: Ranan
Performed by: Vikram Iyengar, Shadab Kamal and Daminee Mukherjee
Directed by: Vikram Iyengar
At: Prithvi Theatre

Aakaashabutti at 8 pm
Aakaashabutti weaves together three of Jayant Kaikini's own stories - Aakaashabutti, Antahpuradolage, and Mithun Number 2. The first refers to the struggle of a lower middle-class family living in a Mumbai chawl. The second tells of what happens when an outsider, Parul, enters the life of a lower middle class family. And the third story follows the travails of a young boy who comes to Mumbai hoping to make it big in films, and ends up as the hero's double.
Presented by: Ninasam
Performed by: Gurumurthy Varadamoola, Phaniyamma H Su00a0and Prasanna H S
Directed by: S Raghunandana
At: Karnataka Sangha
Exhibition: On The Road with Naya Theatre, 10 am to 8 pm
A revival of our 2004 exhibition on Habib Tanvir and Naya theatre.
Entry Free
At: Horniman Circle Garden


November 15

Aakaashabheri at 11 am
An adaptation of Piyush Mishra's Hindi play, Gagan Damama Bajau, Aakaashabheri is about Sohni waiting for her beloved Bhagat Singh's release from prison. The story unfolds in historic episodes like the murder of Sanders as revenge to Lala Lajpat Rai's killing, the assembly bombing and the protest against jail conditions as responses to the socio-political ethos of the times. The narrative does not merely intend to retell history, but tries to trace the different ideologies and the various conflicts that were embedded in it, the play also hints that the time for a contemporary revolution has come.
Presented by: Ninasam Tirugata
Performed by: Yateesha Nam, Gajendra K, Prashanth D Siddi and Jahida M A
At: Prithvi Theatre

Yakshagana: Vidyunmati Kalyaana at 3 pm
This story talks about Jayanta and Vidyunmati. Jayanta visits the celestial gardens and falls in love with Vidyunmati, daughter of Gandharva king Sulochana. Sulochana refuses his offer of marriage, a battle ensues and Jayanta is imprisoned. In the meantime, the demon Kalajhangha makes off with Vidyunmati, and the angels and Gandharvas decide to wage battle together against him. Later the sons of Kusha, Chitraketa and Chitravahana, lose their way in the forest. Vruttajwale, the demon sister of Kalajhangha is enchanted by the two boys and locks them up in the same prison as Vidyunmati. In the rest of the performance, these three strands get interwoven.
Presented by: Ninsam
Performed by: Channakeshava and Madhunisha
Directed by: Heranjala Gopala Ganiga and B R Venkataramana Aithala
At: Prithvi Theatre

Venissina Vyaapaaraa at 8 pm
16th and 17th century Europe which became the landscape for Shakespeare's England is also the time and space in which the processes of the modern world as we understand it now took place. One can trace globalisation right back to those times, with the beginning of inter-continental trade. The two main strands of The Merchant of Venice are of trade and money transactions, and racial conflict. There is a community that thrives on slapping interest on interest. On the other, there is another community that believes this is sinful, but has no qualms about selling goods for huge profit margins. These two perspectives also present themselves as two religious faiths, raring to take each other head on.
Presented by: Ninasam Tirugata
Performed by: Gajendra K. (Gaja), Gopalakrishna Deshpande and Jahida M A
Directed by: Akshara K V
At: Prithvi Theatre

Dharti Aaba at 8 pm
Dharti Aaba tells the story of Birsa Munda, a tribal leader who struggled to save his land and people from exploitation by the zamindars and British rulers. Birsa championed a revolution among the Munda tribe, organising them into a new social order and inspiring them to fight against their own enslavement. This play is an effort to give Birsa Munda and his revolution their rightful place in the history of India's freedom struggle.
Presented by: Nirman Kala Manch
Performed by: Suman Kumar, Subro Bhattacharya, Pappu Thakur and Sharda Singh
Directed by: Sanjay Upadhyay
At: Horniman Circle Garden
Exhibition: On The Road with Naya Theatre, 10 am to 8 pm
A revival of our 2004 exhibition on Habib Tanvir and Naya theatre.
Entry Free
At: Horniman Circle Garden


November 16

The Flying Wallas: Opera Noir at 8 pm
This is a dark comedy play with lyrical conversation between a soprano and a ghost about God, murder and showbiz.
Presented by: Sridhar and Thayil
Performed and directed by: Jeet Thayil and Suman Sridhar
At: Horniman Circle Garden
Exhibition: On The Road with Naya Theatre, 10 am to 8 pm
A revival of our 2004 exhibition on Habib Tanvir and Naya theatre.
Entry Free
At: Horniman Circle Garden


November 17

The Hare And The Tortise at 6 pm and 9.30 pm
The Hare and the Tortoise are the archetypal competitors who represent different ways of understanding temporality. Their race becomes the cover story for a theme, which includes other competing pairs such as Ganapati and Kartik, Ekalavya and Arjuna. Second, to help these discussants to focus more on their arguments the play invites them all to comment upon the crisis experienced by William Shakespeare's Hamlet, that dramatic protagonist for whom time was always so painfully out of joint.
Presented by: Adishakti
Performed by: Vinay Kumar, Nimmy Raphel, Arvind Rane, Arjun Shankar and Suresh Kaliyath
Directed by: Suresh Kaliyath
At: Prithvi Theatre
Exhibition: On The Road with Naya Theatre, 10 am to 8 pm
A revival of our 2004 exhibition on Habib Tanvir and Naya theatre.
Entry Free
At: Horniman Circle Garden


November 18

Ganapati at 6 pm and 9.30 pm
This performance is an interpretation of the birth stories related to the myths of Ganapati / Martanda. It is structured in a recurring cycle of creation, celebration, destruction and return, which parallels the motif in these birth stories. The return is suggested by a re-telling of the myth from different points of view. The aim is to allow its main concern, that of creations and creativity, to be interpreted at a variety of levels.
Presented by: Adishakti
Performed by: Vinay Kumar, Suresh K, Arvind Rane, Pascal Sieger and Nimmy Raphel
Directed by: Veenapani Chawla
At: Prithvi Theatre
Exhibition: On The Road with Naya Theatre, 10 am to 8 pm
A revival of our 2004 exhibition on Habib Tanvir and Naya theatre.
Entry Free
At: Horniman Circle Garden


November 19

Impressions of Bhima at 6 pm and 9.30 pm
Impressions of Bhima is a deconstruction of this hero, where the man of physical power and strength becomes a psychological hero. The warrior's battle is transferred to the field where alone complete victory is possible.
Presented by: Adishakti
Performed by: Vinay Kumar
Directed by: Veenapani Chawla
At: Prithvi Theatre
Exhibition: On The Road with Naya Theatre, 10 am to 8 pm
A revival of our 2004 exhibition on Habib Tanvir and Naya theatre.
Entry Free
At: Horniman Circle Garden

November 20

Rhinoceros at 6 pm and 9.30 pm
Rhinoceros is a play by Eugu00c3u00a8ne Ionesco, written in 1959. The inhabitants of a town turn into rhinoceroses; ultimately the only human who does not succumb to this mass metamorphosis is a flustered everyman figure who is often criticised throughout the play for his drinking and tardiness. The play is often read as a response to the sudden upsurge of Fascism during the events preceding World War II.
Presented by: Adishakti
Performed by: Arjun Shankar, Vinay Kumar and Nimmy Raphel
Directed by: Vinay Kumar
At: Prithvi Theatre
Exhibition: On The Road with Naya Theatre, 10 am to 8 pm
A revival of our 2004 exhibition on Habib Tanvir and Naya theatre.
Entry Free
At: Horniman Circle Garden