Modern theatre, Mumbai and Indian aesthetics
By Tanvi Parekh, kathak dancer and travel scribe He shares a love-hate relationship with Mumbai, the city which is at the heart of most of his plays. She has been lighting, directing, and conducting workshops all across Mumbai. The two collaborated for Ambu and Rajalakshmi, officially. But unknown to Ramu, she has lit most […]
Fascinating Transition: A short conversation with DSM's Design Faculty
The new year at DSM always starts with Design. The students experience a fascinating transition from actor-focused training to larger elements of production. This year we had Ishita Doshi and Neeraja Patwardhan come together for the first time as design faculty. They taught costume and set design to the 18 students of Batch 2018-19. Neeraja […]
The Difference in Between: Madhyantar, a DSM student showcase
DSM Batch 2018 -19 Mumbai present an evening of new theatre Every year, students from the Post-Graduate Programme in Acting & Theatre-making at DSM, put together a student showcase. This is their first ever public performance and we call it Madhyantar. A student showcase means the students write, direct, act in and stage-manage everything. They […]
The Stage is Materializing: Material and materiality in theatre
What do tea cups, salt shakers, Dame Judi Dench, and bits of PVC tubes all have in common? They have all played prominent roles in critically acclaimed and thought-provoking theatre around the world. Material has always been part of the general world of theatrical performance, serving as props, sets, costumes, make up, lights and […]
FLYING SOLO: Maya Krishna Rao in conversation with Nimi Ravindran
Loved and respected by theatre-makers across the country and abroad, the indefatigable Maya Krishna Rao continues to be an inspiration for the next generation of artists. Although we know of her as a powerhouse performer, Maya has juggled many hats over the years, including that of teacher, educator and mentor. Having premiered her latest show in Delhi she talks […]
In Discussion: Theatre Festivals of India – Value and Judgement
In Discussion: Theatre Festivals of India – Value and Judgement by Shruti Achesh _______________________________________________________________ Intriguing storylines, palpable performances, distinguishing voices and glimpses of various fascinating forms – a theatre festival is supposed to bring us all of this. And big banner theatre festivals – Kala Ghoda Festival (which has a large theatre strand), Hindu Theatre […]
Finding the Classic in the Contemporary: An interview with Mangai
In conversation with Lavanya Narayanan V. Padma sits in a chair in her cozy home. Surrounding her is her in-home library: a bibliophile’s wonderland, it holds what many theatre students can only dream of. But for Padma, or Mangai – as she is known in the theatre arena – the books represent much more than […]
(A)cross All Boundaries
Written by Lavanya Narayanan Cross-dressing plays multiple roles in theatre all across the world The man, the woman, and the transgender: all portrayals of Maati, the titular character that takes center-stage in Drama School Mumbai’s Hindi adaptation of Federico Garcia Lorca’s Yerma. Director Mahesh Dattani’s reinterpretation, however, is about more than just a woman looking for […]