Bringing back the euphoria of live theatre

By N. Lothungbeni Humtsoe

New Delhi, Jan 12 (SocialNews.XYZ) The stage is set. The wait is over. Aadyam Theatre, an exciting initiative by the Aditya Birla Group, is now back on stage after two years of hiatus. Theatre venues will soon be filled with laughter, suspense, and excitement as it celebrate its sixth season in 2023.

This new season is all about bringing back the joy of live theatre into the lives of people across the country. There will be a mix of the proscenium and experimental shows that will be performed in both Mumbai and Delhi.

Adding to that, there will also be a bunch of new theatre-centric activities, housed under its Spotlight, such as theatre podcasts, workshops, a theatre club, and an exclusive theatre blog. Aadyam Spotlight is a budding community for theatre lovers, which aims to make theatre more accessible to people.

The curation committee, this year, comprises four renowned theatre personalities, namely, Shernaz Patel, Kyla Dsouza, Purva Naresh, and Ira Dubey. They have shortlisted this year's plays after a careful analysis of the numerous proposals submitted by production houses across the country. What's even more special about its 6th season is the fact that it is going to be led by Artistic Director Duo - Shernaz Patel and Nadir Khan. They will help to ensure a more sincere delivery of the various initiatives of Aadyam that are being introduced this year.

Bringing back the euphoria of live theatre

The curated lineup of Aadyam, 2022-2023 will consist of -

. 4 proscenium plays - 24 shows in Mumbai and 12 shows in Delhi - A total of 36 shows.
. 2 experimental plays - 20 shows in Mumbai and 8 shows in Delhi - A total of 28 shows.

Apart from collaborating with exceptional theatre artists, it has also joined hands with several homegrown illustrators, doodlers, and graphic designers, to work on their plays' posters and other assets. Theatre Ink, which was created by in 2020, will continue in 2023 as well, to keep their conversations around theatre-going.

According to Aadyam Theatre's Creative Director, Brian Tellis, "Aadyam has, over the years, keeping the legacy of theatre alive and abuzz, by providing a substantial canvas to theatrical artists. A canvas that allows their creative thoughts to be brought to life, tales that would otherwise remain unexplored. This is Aadyam's sixth year, but its first post-pandemic.

"It almost seems like we are starting all over again. As artists and theatre aficionados, we feel more obliged than ever to give the audience a more stimulating and captivating live performance experience. We want them to have a completely new and never seen before theatrical experience."

"Today more than ever we are surrounded by stories... On OTT, on podcasts, on social media... both fact and fiction. But the only medium that allows us to be completely immersed in a story is the theatre. Because it unfolds in front of us. It is immediate. It is live. We all yearned for this collective sharing through the pandemic and now, thanks to Aadyam, we are back... with stories that make you laugh, think and feel. This time around we don't want you to only be a spectator. So we have created exciting ways to make you an integral part of our story. We hope you join us this season. Let's all share the joy of the theatre together." said Shernaz Patel, the Artistic Director of Aadyam.

Bringing back the euphoria of live theatre

Nadir Khan, also the Artistic Director of Aadyam said, "It's been a great pleasure and highlight of my professional career to have been associated with Aadyam over the years. As a director who's been fortunate enough to have had a show at every edition of Aadyam since its inception, I can honestly say that it provides a wonderful and not-so-common opportunity to theatre practitioners and audiences, and has become a very valuable part of our theatrical landscape. This particular edition is important since it's the first one since the enforced halt that was the pandemic.

"Through the hiatus, we were very encouraged to see that the hunger and passion for live theatre - for audiences and the theatre fraternity alike - did not wane and we are excited to come back to our traditional stages and live audiences with wonderful shows, a renewed perspective, and a challenge to pick up where we left off."

(N. Lothungbeni Humtsoe can be contacted at lothungbeni.h@ians.in)

Source: IANS