Book your passes for the most incredible performances at the inaugural edition of the month-long ‘Manam Theatre Festival’ in Hyderabad, presented by The We _ Us Collective (an Almond House Foundation initiative). The Manam Theatre Festival hopes to immerse theatre aficionados in Hyderabad in the sheer magic and brilliance of the performing arts, as it brings together the city’s thriving theatre fraternity along with visiting troupes from across the country, and beyond. From puppetry to live music, from dancing to masking, from Pondicherry to Sikkim, artists from every phase, form and place come together to celebrate the art of performing at multiple venues across the city. With an impressive line-up comprising four visiting troupes, four local Hyderabad troupes, four venues, eighteen shows across four weekends, the Manam Theatre Festival promises to be a true celebration of the performing arts for diverse audiences.
The Manam Theatre Festival in Hyderabad presents thought-provoking plays for curious minds and captivating performances for absolute entertainment. The festival brings diverse, inclusive, and unconventional stories home to Hyderabad through contemporary acts, experimental productions, and new interpretations. Hyderabad’s very own ecosystem of art and culture. From November 24th to Dec 17, 2023, the festival brings together bouquets of performances, people, and places. Each weekend will include a performance by a home troupe on Friday and two plays by a visiting troupe on Saturday and Sunday. Sprinkled around these weekends are fringe events that aim to create conversation and exchange of ideas and engage the city’s community to interact with troupes. Passes available at https://in.bookmyshow.com/plays/manam-theatre-festival-2023/ET00374347
WEEKEND 2 (DEC 1-3, 2023)
PETROMAX PANCHAYATI BY CURTAIN CALL THEATRE (HYDERABAD)
‘Petromax Panchayat’ is a captivating narrative set in a village where life’s complexities go beyond the picturesque fields. This story goes beyond conventional love tales, immersing the audi, ence in a rich tapestry of human emotions and the timeless struggle between right and wrong.
Directed by: Surabhi Santhosh
Written by: Venkat Govada (Based on literary work of Phanishwar Nath Renu)
Cast: Surabhi Lalitha, Anusha Nuthula, Prabha Santhosh, Sai Kadhira, Vishnu Vimal, Shiva Naga Koteshwar Rao, Ajay Radha, Shanku, Mukesh Sai, M. N. S. Manoj, Vishnu Virat, Surabhi Santhosh
Date: Friday, December 1, 2023
Show Timings: 7.30pm
Venue: Rangbhoomi Spaces, Gachibowli, Hyderabad
Language: Telugu
Duration: 60 minutes
Recommended for: 8+
About Curtain Call Theatre (Hyderabad)
Established in 2021 by Surabhi Santhosh, Curtain call Theatre’s motto has always been to “enhance and educate” by providing acting training to all member’s the repertory. Curtain Call Theatre stems from the rich lineage of the renowned Surabhi Theatre of Hyderabad with the vision to be a new-age theatre group committed to Performance and training.
BALI BY ADISHAKTI (PUDUCHERRY)
An excerpt from the Indian epic -Ramayana, Adishakti's Bali was written by Nimmy Raphel. Adishakti’s Bali is a retelling of the various events that led up to the battle between Bali and Ram, and eventually, the death of Bali. The play explores the notion of right or wrong and how it may change when each character is given an opportunity to voice their thoughts and opinions. Here, Bali’s death is placed in the centre and a personal take is presented that will enable us to transition seamlessly-back and forth- from the epic to the everyday and vice versa. The play presents powerful moments through alternate and opposing points of views of Bali, Tara, Sugriva, Angadha, Ram and Ravan based on their own ethics and contexts.
Directed by: Nimmy Raphel
Written by: Nimmy Raphel
Cast: Vinay Kumar, Arvind Rane, Ashiqa Salvan, Kiyomi Mehta, Sooraj S
Date: Saturday, December 2, 2023
Show Timings: 4.30pm & 8pm
Venue: NIFT Auditorium, Hitech City, Hyderabad
Language: English
Duration: 75 minutes
Recommended For: PG13
BHOOMI BY ADISHAKTI (PUDUCHERRY)
Bhoomi is a loose adaptation of Bhoomirakshasa by well-known Malayalam writer Sara Joseph, written over two decades ago. A play within a play, Bhoomi explores issues of gender identity and violence through music and movement.
Directed by: Vinay Kumar
Written by: Vinay Kumar (adapted from Sara Joseph’s Bhoomirakshasa)
Cast: Nimmy Raphel, Vinay Kumar, Arvind Rane, Ashiqa Salvan, Meedhu Miriyam, Sooraj S
Date: Sunday, December 3, 2023
Show Timings: 4.30pm & 8pm
Venue: NIFT Auditorium, Hitech City, Hyderabad
Language: English
Duration: 80 minutes
Recommended For: PG13
About Adishakti (Puducherry)
Adishakti Laboratory for Theatre Arts & Research is a performance company based out of Pondicherry, India, engaged in the research and reanimation of traditional and folk knowledge in theatre, dance, music, movement, and craft forms. Started in 1981 by late theatre director Veenapani Chawla, Adishakti has aimed at re-establishing the validity of theatre around the notion of the live presence of the performer and worked towards widening the scope of theatre. The aim is to equip the performer with tools whereby she can impact her audience through an enhanced and vibrating energy both physically and psychologically. Adishakti has been disseminating this alternative performance language through its Source of Performance Energy (SOPE) workshops, and performances based on Indian epics in India and abroad.
