New physical theatre to take viewers into alternate reality

A new physical theatre performance will take us into the alternate reality of our lives

Have you ever tried keeping a record of the entire gamut of events and people that played out in your mind while you were asleep. Renowned writer and theatre director John Britton confesses to have stalked his dreams for over a year, in order to experience how real they were. It’s what led him to create a new, physical theatre performance with Amruta Mapuskar, titled Rapid-I-Movement, to be staged today.

The human mind’s actions are said to be guided by their waking self. “But what if there is a sleeping self that wakes up when we go to sleep, has eight hours of adventure and then goes back to rest,” asks Britton, the founder and director of The DUENDE School of Ensemble Physical Theatre, who has been running workshops across the world.

“It is a parallel world that lives inside us. Also, neuro-scientifically, the laws that govern the sleeping self are different from the ones that govern a waking being. I began working on that idea to do a show that would try and recreate ‘a night in the life of a dreamer’, and through that get some hints of what the waking person is like,” says Britton, in a telephonic interview.

Mapuskar, who has trained with Britton for the last five years, will lead the 52-minute-long show. "Both Amruta and I observed our own dreams to put this performance together. But, none of the dreams in this show, are the actual dreams that we had," says the writer. "What was, however, interesting is that when we exchanged our stories there were some recurring motifs of shame and excitement and similar moments, we had lived before." These ideas were used to create 'a series of elements,' which Britton feels that the audience will recognise as being related to their own dreams.

Mapuskar will engage with the audience by directly addressing them in parts, and sometimes with movements, both real and abstract. "My work has always been physical...one that is based in the body. It is not realistic, although it has elements of it. And I really don't understand the division between what people call dance and theatre. It’s only about making it work," he says of this performance. Those interested in attending will have to reach out to the organisers over email.

WHEN: 6 pm and 9 pm
WHERE: Studio Tamaasha, Bungalow 76, Aram Nagar Part 2, Andheri West
For details: info.rapidimovement@gmail.com

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