Director Sunil Shanbag's new play Stories in a Song is a musical that tells stories of Thumri-Dadra, Kajri, and Khayal. Settle in for a paisa vasool performance that helps make Indian Classical music sound like fun
Director Sunil Shanbag's new play Stories in a Song is a musical that tells stories of Thumri-Dadra, Kajri, and Khayal. Settle in for a paisa vasool performance that helps make Indian Classical music sound like fun
Earlier this year, in the first week of February, Stories in a Song: A Musical Collage of Theatre, Literature and History had its first show at the Pune-based music festival Baajaa Gaajaa. The audience included accomplished musicians of national and international repute. Making an impression on such an audience was obviously going to be a tough task. But after the performance, two senior musicians were heard discussing, "If every actor starts singing like this, what will we do?" The musicians' concern was perhaps the best compliment that the production could have received.
A still from the piece Bahadur Ladki, which features in Stories in a Song
Stories in a Song is a play that is a result of a unique collaboration between theatre director Sunil Shanbag and musicians Aneesh Pradhan and Shubha Mudgal, who have researched and conceived the play as well as composed and selected music for it. The idea for this musical struck Pradhan and Mudgal when they watched an earlier play by Shanbag --u00a0 Mastana Rampuri, Urf Chappan Chhuri, which opened at Prithvi Theatre's Musical Festival in 2008. "They liked the energy of theatre while the rigours of Indian Classical music have always fascinated me," notes Shanbag. Mudgal adds, "We were struck by the ease with which the actors turned into musicians."
Stories in a Song is an attempt to bring music and theatre together while exploring musical forms such as Kajri, Thumri-Dadra, Khayal, remixes and more. For the play, Shanbag delves into a treasure trove of information, which Pradhan and Mudgal have been collating over the years, to create interesting accounts associated with musical forms and musicians. The seven disconnected pieces speak of Buddhist theris (senior nuns) from 6th century BC, Mahatma Gandhi's encounter with the tawaif's of Benares, folk performers based in Lucknow, the Nautanki performers of North India, the English colonial ruler's engagement with Hindustani music and the concept of Kajri Akhadas of Uttar Pradesh.
Pradhan and Mudgal have been collecting these vignettes for years now and the play is great way to share the stories. "In Pune, when we premiered the play, a host of musicians from across the world were present, and many of them were not even aware of the stories that were portrayed in the play," Pradhan points out, adding humbly that the play is not an attempt to proselytise. Shanbag emphatically agrees, "It's not just a serious documentation piece. It's absolute entertainment for the weekend."
It is this combination of fun, entertaining-yet-informative stories that has given the play audience appreciation and inspired the trio to bring Stories in a Song to Mumbai. Initially, the plan was to have one show for Baajaa Gaajaa but observing the audience "lapping up the performance" they decided to take the play beyond Pune. Mumbai is the first stop and then, the play might even travel abroad. "We will be taking Stories in a Song overseas as well; perhaps to Australia and the United States.
The idea is not to let the world know what Indian music is but if in the process they get to know about it, that's great," says Pradhan. Future plans include an "Opera based on Indian Classical music," reveals Shanbag. Mudgal concludes, "We haven't even looked at literature and music from Bengal and Maharashtra and from other regional sources. There will be a Part Two, but we're looking at a larger production." This promises to be an interesting collaboration of music, theatre, literature and history.
On Today, 6 pm and 9 pm; tomorrow, 5 pm and 8 pm
At Prithvi Theatre, Janki Kutir, Vile Parle (W).
Call 26149546
ADVERTISEMENT
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
