Wednesday, June 11, 2025

WATER LILIES by Gowri Ramnarayan

This is happening, on July 5-6, 2025 people, in Bengaluru! Do grab those Early Bird offers! 

Our InstaPost Link: 
https://www.instagram.com/p/DKmoLaYobeO/?igsh=bnh6NnBxczM4Y3Y

Ticket link
https://allevents.in/bangalore/water-lilies-english-theatre-play-tickets/80003935014713

Kandinsky and the Compositions - Part II

(This stub is edited with some updated links that work, for those that want to go where the yellow brick road leads!)

It's a repub of a 2005 piece I wrote.

Ok... now that I have found out I am refreshed enough to blog the world for the 4th time in under 24 hours... onwards and upwards... This time the word is...Composition X

WELL... this dates back to 1939. Although started in 1938 sometime when Kandinsky was in Paris... it was a more painstaking effort and perhaps the most vibrant of all. At least definitely my favourite. Obvious isn't it? The predominating BLACK in the background and all those flying lines and curves ... it's like a MARDI GRAS IN SPACE for me! Yes, the work actually was started in 1938. But I was kidding. Wassily started it in Dec 1938 and finished in Jan 1939!

Composition 10 is the last in the series of Compositions. Sometimes am confused whether it is Comp 10 or Comp X - meaning the unnumberable one like the number 'n' in mathematics. Or is it like Mr. X? Well, your guess is as good as mine. Anyway... it is even more remarkable compared to the other Compositions because of its radical departure from fuzziness in some of the other predecessors of this discerning series.
Look at the image. You will understand. There is no hesitation. There is a certain clarity. There is absolute playfulness that had been arrived at through long obsessive hours of discerned and calculated seminal-texture to this theory of the use of color, space, lines, curves and ultimately the canvas (Read with a CAPITAL C!)

Composition X actually belongs to his late works as well. And it not only completes the Compositions series, but also connectes with later works as a link. It is less murky, more relaxed, even cheerful. And it's grammar and idiom are more formalised.Well, in a sense it is a darker painting in that everything is hovering about. Notice in the pix above the bio-morphic formations... the embryonic quality to the image segments. More a picture for joyous study to some biology student and life-science student. Biomorphic... embryonic and cell-shaped structures dominate... inspite the dark and brown-black background.This was to become the unique feature of Kandinsky's work, in retrospective analytical terms, I mean.According to Kandinsky "Black was the least expressive colour"... but on which any colour can express itself.

To quote him "Black was the least expressive colour on which every other colour, even those with the least power of expression can express more strongly, more precisely". The cheerful impression which results from the strong contrast of colours is juxtaposed against (or should I say married with) the foregrounding of more brighter colours. It is very Russian. The concentration of dark hues and scientific touch to any subject. And what of the zoomorphic and biomorphic forms? He recognised the expression of cosmic laws in the general organic nature, the processes of regeneration and new beginnings of life, which he attempted to present in pictorial form... but in his own geometric but abstract style.Composition X is the supreme example and the quintessence of Kandinsky's art.

We will next quickly take comparitive peek at his contemporary and soul-mate Oskar Schlemmer's work. That would lead us to the Bauhaus connection.

Monday, March 22, 2021


 










Chenai Art Theatre & Masquerade are Unlocking Theatre in Chennai



THEATRE UNLOCKED

Chennai Art Theatre (CAT) and Masquerade – the Performance Group (Chennai), two of Chennai’s popular event producing companies, come together, for the first time, to host a SPECIAL WORLD THEATRE DAY EVENT.

World Theatre Day is celebrated on MARCH 27th annually, since the 1960s, across the world in a big way. In Chennai too, city’s theatre groups have individually for the past few years celebrated MARCH 27th.

Masquerade started celebrating WORLD THEATRE DAY in the year 1997, when its Founder-Artistic Director, Dr. S. Krishna Kumar, came back from Berlin, after a stint at professional theatre in Germany, where he met international artists at a World Theatre Day celebration in 1996. Since then, Masquerade has celebrated World Theatre Day annually.

This year, Masquerade joins hands with Chennai Art Theatre, headed by A. Charles & Gowtham Ganesan, to bring SIX of city’s prominent stage drama companies on this GRAND OCCASION.

This is the largest coming together of city’s theatre groups in more than a year, since the city went into LOCKDOWN due to COVID-19.

CAT & Masquerade are UNLOCKING THEATRE back to its LIVE status. Hence THEATRE UNLOCKED.

Over 6 performances on 26th & 27th (3 performances each day, at 4 pm, 6 pm and 8 pm), 6 city groups will stage the event.

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THE SIX PLAYS AND DETAILS:

26th March – 4 pm – Naveena Koothupattarai presents BAHISHKAARA (Relegation) – in Tamil

Synopsis:

Bahishkaara (Relegation) brings together the untold stories of unsung heroes from the great Indian epic. The play seeks to unearth the tales of Duryodhana, Aravaan, Shikandi and a few other overlooked yet salient characters through music and dance.

Conceived & Directed by Aadhira Pandilakshmi & Sathish

Running Time: 45 minutes (approximately)

Tickets here: Checkout  https://in.bookmyshow.com/plays/bahishkaara-relegation/ET00308214 

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26th March – 6 pm – Narjaya presents PASI (Hunger) – in Tamil

Synopsis:

A man, a woman and abundance of time. It’s funny, it’s scary and it’s real.

‘Pasi’ is a Tamil absurdist fiction written by Padmasri. Indira Parthasarathy, who is the only Indian writer to have won both the Sangeet Natak Academy and the Sahitya academy award. Crafted in a space supended from time, ‘Pasi’ (hunger) is a play to look forward to.

Cast: Kamatchi Kaleeswaran  & Karthik Gowrisankar

Written by Indira Parthasarathy

Directed by Karthik Anantharaman

Running Time: 45 mins (approximately)

Tickets Here:  https://in.bookmyshow.com/plays/pasi-hunger/ET00308217 

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26th March – 8 pm – Veshadharis present ASHWATTHAMA – in Tamil

Synopsis:

Is Ashwatthama still alive?

A delusional depiction of a meeting between Ashwathama and Parikshit the last heir Pandavas… Come and witness the battle of gratitude and grief… with a dose of contemporary overtones and satirical humour

Written by Chandrasekar Venkataraman

Directed by Sudarsun & Chandrasekar

Running Time: 45 mins (approximately)

Tickets Here:  https://in.bookmyshow.com/plays/ashwatthama/ET00308213 

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27th March – 4 pm – Stagefright Productions present – COFFEE  – in English

Synopsis

Three couples, three different conversations and coffee. Some humorous, some hilarious, some whacky! Sure to leave you entertained!

Title: A Love Story

Written by Rajesh Rajamani

Performed by Vinithra Madhavan Menon and Abishek Joseph George

Directed by Sandeep John

Title: Arranged

Written by Belinda Peter and Zubin Vincent

Adapted from Holidays! by Ethan Tucker

Performed by Susan Jacob and Zubin Vincent

Directed by Zubin Vincent

Title: Surprise

Directed by Deepa Nambiar

Running Time: 45 minutes (approximately)

Tickets Here:  https://in.bookmyshow.com/plays/coffee/ET00308215 

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27th March – 6 pm – MASQUERADE presents G.O.M.D… (Of Gods, Girls, Graves) – in English

Synopsis:

A woman, Goddess nonetheless… A man, a grandson with a duty… and their gripes and coffin tales! Two hilarious takes on marriages, affairs, legacies!

Devised for stage / Directed by Krishna Kumar. S

Running Time: 60 minutes (approximately)

Tickets Here: https://in.bookmyshow.com/plays/g-o-m-d-of-gods-girls-and-graves/ET00308216 

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27th March – 8 pm – Theatre Arlequin presents THE HEART HAS ITS REASONS – in English

Synopsis:

Two different scenarios…two variations on the same theme ….. quest for a soul mate !!! Or is it sole mate ? Come with your funny bones… if not with a mate.

Titles:

The Language of Love : Language is essentially a tool of communication that should bring people together in an exchange of ideas. However some people use language to incite hatred or to hide the truth: politicians are masters in this. So sometimes it is necessary to invent a new language… especially for love.

The Mating Game: Since time immemorial man’s quest for a mate has involved meandering in a tortuous  labyrinth  of relationships and lost chances. One wrong word or a gesture can break a burgeoning romance. So what is the secret to this mating dance? Perhaps it is just the hand of destiny!

Directed by R. Amarendran

Running Time: 55 minutes (approximately)

Tickets Here: https://in.bookmyshow.com/plays/the-heart-has-its-reasons/ET00308218 

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Each of the performances would be followed by a moderated audience Interface with the Director/Production Company (if the company is open to it!)

For further details, buzz me (KK) at 9884029865 & A.Charles at 9841495497

Thursday, March 26, 2020

World Theatre Day 2020

Coming Soon @ Masquerade, Chennai

World Theatre Day 2020 - Masquerade Chennai
Masquerade presents World Theatre Day 2020
A FREE TO REGISTER, public participation event, inviting artists and theatre enthusiasts to join in celebrating World Theatre Day. The day is being celebrated for the 22nd year in Chennai by Masquerade – the performance group, ChennaI. For more details on World Theatre Day, visit: https://iti-worldwide.org/worldtheatreday.html
Some may say this is not the time to celebrate. But in times of contagion and life threatening crisis like this, if we do not celebrate life, and its ONE TRUE MIRROR, live theatre, when then?
It is our responsibility and privilege as artists to exhibit freedom… Come join us, the online stage is yours.
Public Performance Event
Genre: Any that you may choose
Duration : 1 to 10+ minutes (not exceeding 12 please)
Language : Tamil, English or Mime preferably (but any that you may choose)
PS: Nothing Filmy, or anything from films. Create your own original piece. WE WANT YOU TO BE YOUR ORIGINAL YOU. We want your theatrical talent to be featured, showcased. Please do grace our World Theatre Day celebrations with YOU.
This is not an age restricted event. Young talents are allowed too. Therefore, in public interest, Strictly please, no verbal or physical violence, political, personal or COVID19 propaganda statements.
REGISTRATION & PARTICIPATION FREE.
YOU CAN EVEN PARTICIPATE AS A DUO OR GROUP SO LONG AS YOU’RE ON SAME SCREEN AND HANDLE
To Register CLICK HERE