July 2021

Politics continues to engage the committed Bengali theatre, in original drama that reassures us that the flag of secularism and freedom of speech shall remain fluttering in this apparently no-longer-significant

Happily, as women join theatre groups in larger numbers, drama becomes a liberating experience for them and a platform for presenting gynocentric material. On the flipside, several productions use the

Calcutta Performers springs a most unexpected surprise with their latest production, Hrotsvitha. I cannot imagine any Indian troupe deciding to stage a biographical play about a tenth-century Saxon canoness —

Bohurupee celebrated its 69th birthday this month with its customary annual festival, featuring a new production (which always premieres on this occasion) and two invitees from neighbouring states. We hope

Youth initiatives that outlast the first flush of enthusiasm deserve commendation if they keep growing with their years. 4th Bell Theatres, born in 2011, establish themselves among new Bengali groups

Simple, straightforward narratives of the victimization of women in Bengali village life mark two productions based on the older work of famous authors. The new group Bahuswar embarks on its

Invitations to premieres rarely go out to proverbially grouchy critics, but I happily get my share. Yet I have forgotten the last time I received one to a preview —

Sima Mukhopadhyay has developed a deep interest over recent years in drama on matters of health, especially that of the mind, reflected in her two latest directorial ventures. For her

Poignant approaches to children encountering real-life trauma and disaster characterize two new plays in English and Bengali respectively. Young people’s theatre typically features fairytales, folklore or fantasy. But The Creative

Time to analyse the three Hindi productions from Mumbai that last visited the city. Let me begin with a technical detail that receives short shrift in reviews: the proliferating nuisance

Early August occasions the revisiting of Tagore. Productions of two of his most popular works raise interesting correspondences with and divergences from the originals. Jahnavi and Dakghar, founded by Manoj

Short + Sweet = Quantity – Quality this year, few of the 29 ten-minute plays leaving an impact, lacking writing skills or theatrical sense or both. The only original vision