Children in Mumbai can explore this immersive theatre workshop inspired by Heiner Goebbels

Video still, Eagles, Heiner Goebbels. Pics Courtesy/artist; Dr BDL Museum

What if a story could be something you step into, shape, and experience with your whole body? This Sunday, May 3, young participants can do just that at And… Scene! an immersive theatre workshop designed for children aged 6 to 12 at the Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum.

Inspired by Landscape Plays, an ongoing exhibition by German composer and director Heiner Goebbels, the session invites children and their caregivers to explore storytelling as a living, evolving landscape.

Dipna Daryanani (centre) hosts children at a previous workshop

Through guided prompts and playful exercises, participants will collaborate as an ensemble - using their bodies, everyday objects, sound, and light to build imaginative worlds together. Children turn a simple object into a character, create soundscapes with movement, or collectively "stage" a shifting environment using space and imagination.

No prior experience in theatre or dance is needed - only curiosity and a willingness to participate. The workshop is led by Dipna Daryanani, a movement artist and educator known for creating engaging, participatory experiences for children and families. "The joy of play and creation," she says, is central to what children take away. "It's about how ideas emerge and translate into tangible forms - through the body, sound, light, shapes, and objects."

Dipna Daryanani

Unusually, caregivers are not just observers but active participants. "I'm excited about having parents show up as equally curious and creative beings," Daryanani adds, emphasising a shared creative journey.

The workshop unfolds across the museum's exhibition space and education centre, with a short-guided exploration of Landscape Plays woven into the session. Families are also encouraged to spend more time with the exhibition before or after. All children must be accompanied by a caregiver, making this a rare opportunity for families to create, play, and imagine together.

ON Sunday, May 3, 11 am to 1 pm
AT Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum, Rani Baug, Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Road, Byculla East.
Entry Rs 150 (museum entry tickets applicable)