Premier youth theatre festival Thespo returns in a digital avatar this week. Here are our top picks from the event’s 23rd edition
David Farley
Designs on theatre
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David Farley is a Tony-nominated set designer from the UK who’s associated with Slung Low Theatre. He will conduct a workshop where he will dissect his core area of expertise, teaching participants how to take a script from the page to the stage and revealing how he envisions elements for stage and costume design. Attend the event to learn this aspect of theatre from a man who has mastered his craft, and who has worked on plays that have been staged at West End and Broadway.
On: December 16 and 17, 2 pm
Log on to: thespo.org
Free
Turning the dial
There is an episode in the web series Black Mirror that highlights how gadgets and validation on social media has engulfed our lives. Shot on iPhone is a Marathi play that follows a similar theme. The story revolves around Prahlad, a boy who’s obsessed with the idea of owning an iPhone. Aditya Yadav essays the role of the character, highlighting how technology has changed the way we operate as human beings.
On: December 16, 7 pm
Log on to: insider.in
Cost: Rs 200
Twists and turns
Sometimes, life takes unexpected turns. That’s what happens to Kashi, the protagonist in a Marathi play called Yatra, who sets out for a pilgrimage to Pandharpur, only to be kidnapped on the way and sold to a brothel. But she never forgets about her unfinished journey to pay her respects to Lord Vithala, and dreams of completing her pilgrimage. The story thus revolves around how her destiny is different from the journey she had set out for initially.
On: December 18, 7 pm
Log on to: insider.in
Cost: Rs 200
Weathering a storm
Catch a theatre performance centred on the perils of climate change, and titled Plan B/C/D/E. The solo show stars Kaushikee Gupta, who will deliver an interactive performance. She will talk about how Mumbai might be under water in 50 years (a report by McKinsey India published earlier this year also warned that there might be a 0.5-mm rise in the city’s sea level by 2050). Gupta will then collude with the audience to come up with solutions that are watertight, no pun intended.
On: December 17, 7 pm
Log on to: insider.in
Cost: Rs 200
Booked for greatness
The core purpose behind Thespo is to ensure that young people under the age of 25 interested in theatre get the right sort of encouragement and guidance to excel in the field. That’s what an event called The Thespo Book Club also sets out to do, facilitating a panel discussion between theatre stalwarts and the younger generation. The panellists include the likes of Shanta Gokhale, Dolly Thakore and Faizal Alkazi, who will discuss books on theatre that they have written and talk about their journey.
On: December 16 to 19, 5 pm
Log on to: thespo.org
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