2016 was a special year for us. We turned 18 and we got our own new space to further explore our puppetry encounters. Our space is at the Southern border of Delhi, 12 kilometers from the city centre. The population around is dense and semi urban.
2016 was a special year for us. We turned 18 and we got our own new space to further explore our puppetry encounters. Our space is at the Southern border of Delhi, 12 kilometers from the city centre. The population around is dense and semi urban.
These are the programs the space is currently supporting or planning to support
Mentorship Program -
In December 2017 we kick start our artists mentorship program with the mentoring of young directors from across India by the Director of Helios Theatre in Hamm, Germany, Barbara Kolling. Barbara will mentor 5 young Indian directors in creating 5 new performances using material only.
These are the programs the space is currently supporting or planning to support
Mentorship Program -
In December 2017 we kick start our artists mentorship program with the mentoring of young directors from across India by the Director of Helios Theatre in Hamm, Germany, Barbara Kolling. Barbara will mentor 5 young Indian directors in creating 5 new performances using material only.
DINOSAUR
2013
The story is about a T Rex egg that gets separated from the next. The baby dinosaur that hatches does not know he is a T Rex. He starts to desperately look for his mother. Instead he lands up in the midst of a hungry Raptor pack. The oldest raptor and he become friends but the other raptors still want to eat him up. Time and again the old raptor saves him but then there is a huge volcanic eruption. Will the old raptor be able to save the little T Rex baby again?
DINOSAUR OUTDOOR SHOW
2013
This show also has a street version, where a bunch of palentologists cordon off a public space, they then bring out the skeleton of a T Rex and start detailed thesis about dinosaurs to the public when suddenly the T Rex comes alive!
THE MAGIC BLUE
2007
This is collaborative performance with choreographer, Orissi and Chauu dancer Shagun Bhutani and her students from MADHYAM. In this performance the child Krishnas are played by little dancers and all the demons are giant puppets of 10-25 feet!
Magic blue tells the story of the childhood of the Blue God Krishna, which is full of great adventures and enchantment. Krishna fights off many demons in the shape of the giant serpent KALIA, the cloud monster, AGHASUR, who changes shape all the time, BAKASUR, the great ferocious stork BAKASUR and of course at the end Krishna's arch enemy and notorious dictator ,his own uncle KAMSA.
KASMIR PROJECT (2006)
Created as a result of interactive trauma therapy workshops with masks and puppets with women in Kashmir. The production uses masks, poetry, photographs and puppets to look at present day Kashmir. This project has been funded by WISCOMP as a part of the WISCOMP Fellowship of Peace (2005).
The Kashmir Project traces the journey of the 14th Century Kashmiri sufi poetess Lal-Ded re-born in the Kashmir of today and retracing her steps through the landscape of Kashmir. But this time she hears blasts, meets army men and militants, hears the voices of women who are mothers ,wives, sisters and daughters of Kashmir living in a war zone for the last fifteen years, sees their recurring nightmares and then finds again what she had learnt 600 years ago, hope, tolerance and love, that which saved her and saves the women of the valley today.
KASMIR PROJECT
2006
Created as a result of interactive trauma therapy workshops with masks and puppets with women in Kashmir. The production uses masks, poetry, photographs and puppets to look at present day Kashmir. This project has been funded by WISCOMP as a part of the WISCOMP Fellowship of Peace (2005).
The Kashmir Project traces the journey of the 14th Century Kashmiri sufi poetess Lal-Ded re-born in the Kashmir of today and retracing her steps through the landscape of Kashmir. But this time she hears blasts, meets army men and militants, hears the voices of women who are mothers ,wives, sisters and daughters of Kashmir living in a war zone for the last fifteen years, sees their recurring nightmares and then finds again what she had learnt 600 years ago, hope,tolerance and love , that which saved her and saves the women of the valley today.
VIRUS KA TAMASHAH
2006
Virus the Tamashah is like a circus and a razzmatazz Bollywood film rolled into one. It is literally a ride taken with the virus.The performance begins with the HIV positive protagonist being chastised and segregated by his community. The HIV Virus represented by the “madari” or ringmaster intervenes, he tempts the members of the community in different situations to behave Irresponsibly. The first one by having unprotected sex with multiple partners, the second by using pre-used syringes, the third by using untested blood and treating a pregnant positive mother not medically but by a god-man. Finally he takes the audience into the human body and gives us a glimpse into the effect the virus has on the WBCs and consequently the immune system. Finally he turns into an all powerful creature. In the end the main protagonist resists the virus by seeking help from the community of the audience asking them to stop discrimination and instead acting responsibly, saving themselves from infection.
HER VOICE
2000
A collaboration between puppet theatre and Bharatnatyam, this performance came into being with the support of WISCOMP, Women in Security,Conflict Management and Peace. Dancer Geeta Chandran and team Katkatha explored the Mahabharata told through the eyes of Draupadi.
ANECDOTES AND ALLEGORIES
2010 | Gulbadan Begum
Created with support from the India Foundation for the Arts, Bangalore, Anecdotes and Allegories is a historical docu-drama with Puppets. The show is based on the autobiography of three Mughal Emperors: Babur, Humayun, and Akbar written by Babur’s daughter Gulbadan Begum. This show uses miniature puppets, spy cameras, shadow puppets, and paper puppets and follows the journey of the early Mughal emperors from Fargana to Delhi and Agra.
Read about this production:
The Hindu
Indian Express
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