Miss Julie (Kannada) – 6 pm

Troupe: The Nightingale and The Rose Theatre Association, Chitradurga.

Playwright: August Strindberg; Translation: Dr. Sumatheendra Nadiga; Direction: Amith J. Reddy.

Synopsis: The play is set on midsummer eve, a festival night on which with the scents and sound drive people mad. The play revolves around three character that are present on stage. Miss Julie, the count’s daughter and the mistress of the house, Jean, the valet and Christine, the cook. It is also a world where the only progenitor, Miss Julie’s father is absent. The play unfolds as a dangerous mating game that turns into battle of the sexes. The play narrates the individual struggles of Julie and Jean. Julie struggles with her past where she has brought up like a boy by her mother, Jean battles the lower class that he comes. 

On stage: S. Pallavi, Yatheesh N. Kollegala and Archana Shyam.

Paritraan (Hindi/ English) – 6.30 pm

Troupe: Ahmedabad Theatre Group.

Gujarat Playwright: Manu Bhai Pancoli (Darshak); Direction: Raju Barot.

Synopsis: “Mahabharata” is the inspiration of Indian life. The phrase “if it’s not here, it’s nowhere else” upholds the significance of this epic. The play “Paritraan” is based on Mahabharata’s “Udyoga Parva”. In Darshak’s vision, the war is not between Karna and Arjuna or Duryodhana and Bhima, but it is between Shakuni and Sri Krishna. Shakuni says, “I, a student of Maharshi Kanik, say that the one who is strong is the religion, while Sri Krishna says, “The one who follows religion is strong”. In this competition between strength and religion Sri Krishna saves the lives of Pandavas which symbolises the victory of religion.

On stage: Kamal Joshi, Priyank Upadhyay, Dipti Joshi, Garima Bharadwaj, Praful Pancha, Bhoomika Brahambhatt, Ravi Patil, Vaishakh Rathod, Vishal Vaishya, Paridhi Shelat, Chirag Parekh, Harshdeepsingh Jadeja, Vishal Chauhan, Pulkit Shukla, Nitish Parekh, Vaibahvi Bhatt and Rajoo Barot; Kalaripayttu Martial Art: Harshal Vyas, Samanvay Dance Studio (6 artiste).

Kendonians (Kannada) – 7 pm

Troupe: Paduva Ranga Adhyayana Kendra, Mangaluru. 

Story: M.P. Rajesh; Script and Direction: Arun Lal.

Synopsis: Daamu, owner of a simple village canteen leads a happy and contended life with his wife and children. He enjoys very good relationship with his customers. Podi, a delicacy prepared by him, is everyone’s favourite. Like many others he is allured by Sipri, a visa agent with a fat salary in a country named Kendonia. Daamu with much reluctance lands in Kendonia. What happens to Daamu in Kendonia? What job does he gets? Whom does he meet? What happens to the ‘podi’ he prepares? The play satirically unravels the dark faces of urbanisation unemployment, consumerism and market economy. 

On stage: Clanwin Fernandez, Zeena Braggs, Sandeep Tellis, Samuel Mathias, Merwin Fernandes, Anstin Machado, Manish, Jackson Dcunha, Deepthi, Donna, Shwetha Uppadamane, Imaani, Christon and Jackson.

Shakunthalam (Malayalam) – 7.30 pm

Troupe: Lokadharmi, Cochin.

Playwright: Kalidasa; Translation and Direction: Chandradasan.

Synopsis: Dushyanta, a king, sets out in hunting and reaches Kanva’s hermitage. Among the lush green trees, birds and flowers, Shakuntala is endowed with exquisite beauty. The love-lorn king Dushyanta is stunned to see the beauty and innocence of Shakuntala. He persuades her and they undergo Ghandharva marriage. After a series of incidents, the love between the couple breaks. This relation between them is used as a parable to understand the falsehood of love that focuses only on physical beauty. Chandradasan’s “Shakumtalam” is a counter writing where Shakuntala vehemently rejects Dushyanta. This play retells Kalidasa’s classic with a contemporary interpretation on many levels. 

On stage: Santhosh Keezhattoor, G. Priyaraj, Divya Gopinath, Sudheer Babu Sankunni, Rose Sherin Ansary, Kalamandalam Archa, V.S. Kalamandalam Sarath, Ramya Suvi, Adithye K. Narayanan, P.S. Sreedeep, Aabha Unni Sathar, Parvathi Pradeep, Keerthana Shaji, T.D. Deepesh.