Satish Alekar's Famous Black Comedy MAHANIRVAN at the NCPA...
August 22, 2018 4:14:56 PM IST MTG editorial
Few plays and in fact fewer comedies in India have achieved the stature that Satish Alekar's MAHANIRVAN has. It is the ultimate farce on death in Indian theatre, which is why it continues to be relevant. The play has been going strong for more than 40 years since it was first produced in 1974. It was revived for The Theatre Olympics which took place earlier this year and has a new, young cast.
Touching about the relevance of the play in today's time, Satish Alekar shares, " Frankly that is a question I asked the artists myself because even I wasn't sure. These youngsters have a modern lifestyle in upmarket suburbs. They had not even seen the chawls of Pune where the play is located, where busybody neighbours are part of daily life. But even if the actual references and circumstances change, I knew one thing that the suppressed desire of mankind, their basic instincts remain more or less the same."
The play has been noted for its treatment on stage. With its unique features of canny humour and black comedy, the play aptly highlights the intricacies of human relations while passing on subtle messages about the socio-cultural systems we inhabit, typical human tendencies, ritualistic customs and the hypocrisy underlying it all.
Music plays a key role in the play.
The entire play is performed in a lyrical/ musical form using Maharashtrian musical forms like Kirtan, Gondhal, Bhajan, Abhang, etc. In fact the revival of the play is dedicated to the Late Anand Modak (1951-2014) who had composed the original music for the play.
The play has been translated into more than 10 languages and is one of the prescribed plays in theatre and literature curricula in India.
This new production will be staged under NCPA Presentations. It is an initiative of the National Centre for the Performing Arts aimed at presenting theatre of the highest international artistic and technical quality in English and other regional languages of India.
Students can avail a 25% discount on their ticket at the box-office with valid identification.
Date & Time: Sunday, 2nd September 2018 at 2 pm & 6 pm (2 shows). Venue: Tata Theatre, NCPA. Language: Marathi
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