If Darth Vader and Yoda are your icons, here’s an event that’s going to excite you! For over two decades, The Little Theatre Trust has been presenting some of the most popular tales of all time to the city through pantomimes — which are theatrical performances paired with humour, music and more, and usually presented around Christmas. This year too, the city can look forward to an interesting pantomime themed around one of the most important pop culture elements of our time — Star Wars! Ahead of their performance, the cast and crew take us behind the stage.
Titled ‘Star Warz: The Panto Menace’, this pantomime aims to talk about social issues through the use of pop culture and music. “People tend to think pantomime is also like a mime, but it is different. It makes the use of popular songs with altered lyrics and look to highlight social issues. This is the 22nd year that we’ll be performing a pantomime and it’s coincidental that the dates match the Star Wars’ release. The performance will have humour in a way that both children as well as adults can find it intelligent,” says Krishnakumar Balasubramanian, the director and the scriptwriter of the play.
The pantomime will also see a use of locally prominent figures or pop culture characters, he says. “For instance, there might be the character of Kabali being a part of the play! This is to speak of societal issues making use of popular references, while still keeping it local,” Krishnakumar adds.
Maya Krishnan, an actress who is a part of the movie 2.0 with Superstar Rajinikanth, is excited as she will be enacting Kabali’s role in the performance. “Pantomimes can be highly challenging for those who act as they push one to learn a lot more than just acting. In a performance like this, each of the characters has a very significant role, and hence poses quite a challenge as well,” Maya quips.
(The performances will be held from December 16-21 at The Museum Theatre, Egmore)
