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Ticket link:
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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!
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.
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.
====================================================================================
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
=============================================================================
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
========================================================================================
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
========================================================================================
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
========================================================================================
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
========================================================================================
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
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)
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
YOU CAN EVEN PARTICIPATE AS A DUO OR GROUP SO LONG AS YOU’RE ON SAME SCREEN AND HANDLE
To Register CLICK HERE
Monday, February 03, 2020
Sunday, January 19, 2020
Calling the Cows by Mohan Narayanan
The book by Mohan Narayanan, his 7th work of fiction, is definitely worth a read. The premise is based on the Latin phrase that means You Become What You Eat.
What is interesting is the way he weaves his narrative: of course, Mr. Narayanan is known for interweaving of myths and legends across cultures. He is also known for his meticulous research based factual observations on scientific phenomenal influence on society at the crossroads of religious beliefs and inexplicable real time occurrences. In this work all these are present. However, what stands out is how all these combine within the space of a novella.
I'm not going to spill the story or its sensational ending, all of which makes for a terrific magical realistic movie potential in the same vein as say The Life of Pi. Suffice it to say, when the pipe is played, the speakers are turned on, when the calling starts and the cows start flying home....it gets visceral, you might as well be sitting in an IMAX, wearing 3D glasses, seeing the horns graze past your cheek, as they rush past you! A great, quick read if you just decide to travel, say an ICE from Berlin to Amsterdam or Munich to Paris Nord or Kobnhavn to Hamburg. It could well be a Shatabdi from Chennai to Bengaluru too. That is, if you set aside the nagging little proofing errors in spellings.
Saturday, August 17, 2019
Let's Play Madras on August 22nd
This Madras Day, on August 22nd, between 7 pm and 11 pm… Experience Madras like never before and showcase how Madras-savvy you are!
The Great Madras Board Game
To Register, Click HERE
Event Description :
It’s AUGUST 22 – It’s MADRAS DAY – The Day this city was officially established as a little Trading Post off what’s today our own Marina Bay…
And we are celebrating it WITH A BOARD GAME. For Once, we produce, you are the actors, ARE YOU WILLING TO STEP UP TO THE STAGE AND PLAY?
Conceived over 12 years ago, in 2007, we’ve worked constantly on and off to get here… We’ve developed a BOARD GAME FOR YOU… THE GREAT MADRAS TRIP
How well do you know your city?
You think you’re a hard-core North Madras beast? You think the ECR and the OMR are the palm of your hands? Or are the creature that’s lost in CHENNAI without your Google Maps and GPS?
Show us, strut your knowledge of WHAT WE CALL MADRAS and you call Chennai.
BASIC GAME DESCRIPTION: You’re a traveller. We give you starting points to choose, we provide you the destination based on the origin. And you have to get there. You roll the dice, you strategise the route using modes of city transport we provide and a certain amount of resources to use. As you (and your partner – did we not say it’s a team of two game ? Oh my !!) explore the city, you’d come across challenges we pose (after all Mario and Luigi can’t get to Super Mario Central without challenges and obstacles, can they?). This is going to test your knowledge of Trivia and Heritage as well as the HISTORY OF THIS MARVELLOUS MADRAS… and of course, what is city traffic without situations that prompt delays and stuck-ups !
SOUNDS LIKE YOUR KIND OF FUN AND CONNECT WITH MADRAS?
Sign up using the Google Form found in the link above! We’ve 3 slots of time, choose your time, come with your partner, pay your registration fee and you’re all set to Explore Madras.
WE ARE GAME, ARE YOU? LETS PLAY MADRAS….on THE GREAT MADRAS TRIP – 22nd AUGUST, 2019 (THURSDAY).
Thursday, May 16, 2019
TOTAL MOONSENSE
... is a summer-time comedy play for all you who are 8 years old and above!
TOTAL MOONSENSE ? What's that ??
Inspired by James Thurber's classic short story "Many Moons" comes this TOTAL MOONSENSE
Princess Lenore of Lenoress Town wants the Moon. And she falls sick. Yeh Dil Ki Baat Hai!!!
From the good old time of doting Kings and lovable Princess, bumbling Jesters and bungling Prime Ministers (these days they are bumbling dime a dozen, don't they!!!)...
Goofy Royal Magicians and Royal Mathematicians who can't get their numbers right... comes this story.
Add to this mix of bumbling characters in this comedy of errors our own INDIAN ASTROLOGER - Panchu Mama - and a bunch of travelling Bollywood shooting-stars!
It's an approximate hour of riot we've lined up for you, your family and YOUR KIDS!
TOTAL MOONSENSE that is not completely total non-sense!
In the cast: Abhishek Ramabhadran, Aravind S, Ashvi KS, Krishna Kumar S, Pranav Diwakar, Priyanka Sankaran, Shrivatz A, Shubh Mukherjee, Utsav Raj, Varsha Varadarajan
Script by KK
Directed by Shrivatz Agaram
TICKETS - ₹ 200/-
At CurioPlay, Alwarpet on 25th May (Saturday), 2019 - 5 pm and 7 p.m
Available on Townscript here - BOOK TICKETS FOR TOTAL MOONSCRIPT
For further details, call us at 9884029850 or email at bearandbeanbag@gmail.com
Inspired by James Thurber's classic short story "Many Moons" comes this TOTAL MOONSENSE
Princess Lenore of Lenoress Town wants the Moon. And she falls sick. Yeh Dil Ki Baat Hai!!!
From the good old time of doting Kings and lovable Princess, bumbling Jesters and bungling Prime Ministers (these days they are bumbling dime a dozen, don't they!!!)...
Goofy Royal Magicians and Royal Mathematicians who can't get their numbers right... comes this story.
Add to this mix of bumbling characters in this comedy of errors our own INDIAN ASTROLOGER - Panchu Mama - and a bunch of travelling Bollywood shooting-stars!
It's an approximate hour of riot we've lined up for you, your family and YOUR KIDS!
TOTAL MOONSENSE that is not completely total non-sense!
In the cast: Abhishek Ramabhadran, Aravind S, Ashvi KS, Krishna Kumar S, Pranav Diwakar, Priyanka Sankaran, Shrivatz A, Shubh Mukherjee, Utsav Raj, Varsha Varadarajan
Script by KK
Directed by Shrivatz Agaram
TICKETS - ₹ 200/-
At CurioPlay, Alwarpet on 25th May (Saturday), 2019 - 5 pm and 7 p.m
Available on Townscript here - BOOK TICKETS FOR TOTAL MOONSCRIPT
For further details, call us at 9884029850 or email at bearandbeanbag@gmail.com
Thursday, February 28, 2019
World Theatre Day 2019 - Presenting ANTIGONE...
We're excited. It's another WORLD THEATRE DAY. But for us it's not just another WTD this 2019. This is our 21st WTD celebrations, which we started back in 1998. And this WTD, on March 27, we fructify with our long-cherished production - ANTIGONE - adapted, devised and scripted putting together multiple sources that include but not limited to Sophocles, Hölderlin and Brecht...
The universality and contemporaneity of ANTIGONE is undeniable, and is resonant in today's war-torn, strife-ridden world as well as India, as ever.
EVENT: Performance of ANTIGONE
Medium: Theatre performance
Language: ENGLISH
Duration: 70 minutes
Date: 27 MARCH, 2019 (one performance only on its premiere)
Venue: ALLIANCE FRANCAISE DE MADRAS, Chennai, India
Stay tuned here as well as here for further details...
The universality and contemporaneity of ANTIGONE is undeniable, and is resonant in today's war-torn, strife-ridden world as well as India, as ever.
EVENT: Performance of ANTIGONE
Medium: Theatre performance
Language: ENGLISH
Duration: 70 minutes
Date: 27 MARCH, 2019 (one performance only on its premiere)
Venue: ALLIANCE FRANCAISE DE MADRAS, Chennai, India
Stay tuned here as well as here for further details...
Wednesday, January 30, 2019
HOUDUNNIT - 3 short, comic thrillers
An Illusionist swallowing razors, his niece, a young man in the audience - what's the connection?
A woman, her husband, their new refridgerator - what's the connection?
A young couple, a belt in their pooja room, their servant maid's husband - what's the connection? Piqued?
Be there on Feb 2nd, 2019 ( 5:00 pm and 7.30 pm) to laugh, to be surprised, to be shocked in turns. HOUDUNNIT is a sure fire Houdini act!
TICKETS - ₹ 200/-, available for Reservations at 9884029850 / 9884029866.
Or online at:
www.eventjini.com/houdunnit
https://www.townscript.com/e/houdunnit-3-short-very-different-comic-thrillers-012220
Email masquerade.madras@gmail.com for booking/blocking and more details.
Celebrating our 24 years of journey, as we complete 24 and get ready to enter 25 - it's all been about community entertainment! Come join our celebration of theatre entertainment!
In the cast: Ashvi K.S., Dhiraj Athreya, Dileep Rangan T, Jayashri Ramesh Sundaram, KK (Masquerade), Shakila Arun, Shrivatz (Steve) Agharam & Shubh Mukherjee
Directed by Krishna Kumar S
Be inside the Venue 15 minutes before the show time. STRICTLY NO FOOD OR BEVERAGE INSIDE THE VENUE. NO ENTRY ONCE THE PERFORMANCE STARTS. Ticket is non-refundable, non-transferable. IF LATE, AND ENTRY DENIED, PLEASE UNDERSTAND, DO NOT CREATE A SCENE, REACH OUT TO US LATER at masquerade.madras@gmail.com with HOUDUNNIT as Subject.
We do not have Wheelchair Assistance nor the venue has Ramp.
Thursday, March 22, 2018
WORLD THEATRE DAY 2018 @ Masquerade, Chennai
This World Theatre Day...
on March 27th, 2018...
We bring you one of our more popular shows... PARROT'S LIES
Masquerade is entering 25 and we start our 25th season this WORLD THEATRE DAY - MARCH 27 - with a production we had mounted earlier in 2001 and 2006... We return to it, 12 years later...
PARROT'S LIES...
An author has written a play for an actor, with whom he has scores to settle, and influences the Producer of their theatre company to cast the actor in the lead role. The actor seizes his chance, has a surprise in store for the artist. A Twist in the tale…
PARROT'S LIES is an expose of employees in the creative industry, constantly with knives on the backs of others, in a desperate attempt to regain their lost reputations. PARROT'S LIES is a wild and disgusting game of power, a horribly realistic representation of actions and gestures - acts of oppression and gestures of subjugation and genuflections.
The universal value and its contemporaneity is unmistakable...
Andreas Marber, born in 1961, is one of contemporary Germany’s respected and popular playwrights and dramaturge at the Nationalhaus (National Theatre) Hamburg. PARROT'S LIES had its Hamburg premiere in January 2001
The play has some strong language. Restricted to 16 years and above audience.
The Occasion: March 27th is universally celebrated as the World Theatre Day and Masquerade has been celebrating this day each year since 1996 in Chennai. Each year, we perform a production on this day in the company of other theatre artists as audience. We also open it out to general ticketed public. This year we also introduce to the larger theatre community Chennai’s one of its kind BLACK BOX STUDIO, located in ADYAR!
Venue: ALCHEMY BLACK BOX STUDIO, 8/69, 2nd Floor, Teacher’s Colony, Adyar (next to Indira Nagar Café Coffee Day)
The venue has a limited seating capacity of 70 seats only. Seating by first come first served. Ensure you have reserved your seats. Tickets may not be available at the box office at the venue.
THE VENUE IS IN A DEAD-END WITH A NO PARKING AREA. HENCE, PARKING TO BE MADE IN THE ADJACENT STREETS FOR 4 WHEELERS. 2 WHEELER PARKING AVAILABLE AT THE BASEMENT OF THE VENUE. ONLY LIMITED 2 WHEELER PARKING. (Around 20 bikes)
ENTRY PASSES (Rs. 200/-) available at https://www.eventjini.com/parrotslies or by direct booking (call: 98840 29866)
on March 27th, 2018...
We bring you one of our more popular shows... PARROT'S LIES
Masquerade is entering 25 and we start our 25th season this WORLD THEATRE DAY - MARCH 27 - with a production we had mounted earlier in 2001 and 2006... We return to it, 12 years later...
PARROT'S LIES...
An author has written a play for an actor, with whom he has scores to settle, and influences the Producer of their theatre company to cast the actor in the lead role. The actor seizes his chance, has a surprise in store for the artist. A Twist in the tale…
PARROT'S LIES is an expose of employees in the creative industry, constantly with knives on the backs of others, in a desperate attempt to regain their lost reputations. PARROT'S LIES is a wild and disgusting game of power, a horribly realistic representation of actions and gestures - acts of oppression and gestures of subjugation and genuflections.
The universal value and its contemporaneity is unmistakable...
Andreas Marber, born in 1961, is one of contemporary Germany’s respected and popular playwrights and dramaturge at the Nationalhaus (National Theatre) Hamburg. PARROT'S LIES had its Hamburg premiere in January 2001
The play has some strong language. Restricted to 16 years and above audience.
The Occasion: March 27th is universally celebrated as the World Theatre Day and Masquerade has been celebrating this day each year since 1996 in Chennai. Each year, we perform a production on this day in the company of other theatre artists as audience. We also open it out to general ticketed public. This year we also introduce to the larger theatre community Chennai’s one of its kind BLACK BOX STUDIO, located in ADYAR!
Venue: ALCHEMY BLACK BOX STUDIO, 8/69, 2nd Floor, Teacher’s Colony, Adyar (next to Indira Nagar Café Coffee Day)
The venue has a limited seating capacity of 70 seats only. Seating by first come first served. Ensure you have reserved your seats. Tickets may not be available at the box office at the venue.
THE VENUE IS IN A DEAD-END WITH A NO PARKING AREA. HENCE, PARKING TO BE MADE IN THE ADJACENT STREETS FOR 4 WHEELERS. 2 WHEELER PARKING AVAILABLE AT THE BASEMENT OF THE VENUE. ONLY LIMITED 2 WHEELER PARKING. (Around 20 bikes)
ENTRY PASSES (Rs. 200/-) available at https://www.eventjini.com/parrotslies or by direct booking (call: 98840 29866)
Monday, October 02, 2017
Surendra Verma's FROM SUNSET TO SUNRISE
We Present to you...
On OCTOBER 7 & 8, 2017
At Spaces, Besant Nagar, CHENNAI
Time: 7:15 p.m
Duration: 1hr 50 mins (with 10 min. intermission)
All Are Welcome - Entry Free
On OCTOBER 7 & 8, 2017
At Spaces, Besant Nagar, CHENNAI
Time: 7:15 p.m
Duration: 1hr 50 mins (with 10 min. intermission)
All Are Welcome - Entry Free
Monday, June 12, 2017
JANOSCH - The Tiger & Bear Tales for Children...
JANOSCH - The Tiger & Bear Tales
JUNE 18, 2017 - SUNDAY
@ Spaces, Besant Nagar, Chennai, INDIA
Two Shows: 5:30 & 7:30 p.m - 70+ mins duration - for audience 5+ years old...
The Bear & Beanbag Children's Theater Company
a unit of
presents...
JANOSCH
The Tiger and Bear Tales
About the performance:
Is it better to stay home with all the given comforts? Or a little adventure in getting around the world to get some perspective? Is that perspective worth the trouble of going around? Join the Bear and the Tiger on their adventure to THE LAND OF THEIR DREAMS... meet several lovely little friends they make on THE(IR) TRIP TO PANAMA...
And while we are on it... WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU RECEIVED A LETTER? Or have to forgotten the good old post card? Not the Tiger, not the Bear... nor Aunty Goose. Explore a whole 'OLD' world of writing letters... a world where they still use a Phone as a Phone. Where a PHONE means a PHONE and does not come with Cameras for Selfies and Groupfies... A LETTER FOR TIGER...
JOIN US AT SPACES (Elliot's Beach, Besant Nagar, Chennai, INDIA) for a show of JANOSCH... at 5:30 p.m and 7:30 p.m on SUNDAY the 18th June, 2017 with all your kids (yours, those in the neighbourhood and any and every kid you can bring along!)... and the KID IN YOU!
It's a show for 5+. ALL ARE WELCOME!
DURATION: 70 mins.
Poster and Promo concept: Arvind R Vyaas
Costume Design & Conception: Mitra Visvesh
Accessories, Props, Animal Ears & Hood: Ashvi K.S. (Intern)
Assistance in Production & Backstage: Rohit Narayan and Akshita Iyer
Assistance in Direction: Arvind R Vyaas
Lighting, Sound & Artistic Direction: Krishna Kumar. S (KK)
Cast:
Pranav Dwaraknath (Little Bear), Madhumeeta B (Little Tiger)
Dhiraj Athreya, Shrivatz Agharam, Shriram Sivaramakrishnan & Vishal Vijayakumar
(Multiple Roles & Narration)
==============================================================
DURATION: 70 mins.
Poster and Promo concept: Arvind R Vyaas
Costume Design & Conception: Mitra Visvesh
Accessories, Props, Animal Ears & Hood: Ashvi K.S. (Intern)
Assistance in Production & Backstage: Rohit Narayan and Akshita Iyer
Assistance in Direction: Arvind R Vyaas
Lighting, Sound & Artistic Direction: Krishna Kumar. S (KK)
Cast:
Pranav Dwaraknath (Little Bear), Madhumeeta B (Little Tiger)
Dhiraj Athreya, Shrivatz Agharam, Shriram Sivaramakrishnan & Vishal Vijayakumar
(Multiple Roles & Narration)
==============================================================
Wednesday, March 29, 2017
Square Root of Sins Past - Premieres... 1st April, 2017
- A Devised production based on A Game of Dice, Urubhanga of Duryodhana, The Oath of Aswathama... from The Mahabharatha
conceived by Krishna Kumar. S
scripted by Shriram Sivaramakrishnan
performance devised by Actors at Masquerade
Artistic Direction: Dr. S. Krishna Kumar
========================================
Tuesday, January 03, 2017
Sunday, November 20, 2016
Antidisestablishmentarianism...
If systems are religious and become ritualistic and limnal, do not benefit the parish of learners, such systems must die; contributions and associations to such schools must stop; system must be deemployed if a complete cold reboot is not possible because the architecture resists such reboot designs. Church is but a metaphor in this post for any establishment. I have been witness to one such and was given a cold bath yesterday...
I've always known one cannot fly with turkeys; but, the moment of epiphany is when the realisation dawns that those around you are turkeys. At least, those ruling the roost are turkeys, Orwellian pigs and dogs that would piss on the blueprint when it is not conducive to their egoistic parasitism and predatorial social climbing instincts. You take a decision then: DO NOT fly with turkeys anymore.!
A system that is non-inclusive either at ideological or at practical level is what fuels factions, divisions, partitions; especially when that system harbours cheap ideas of reparations of perceived harms of the past, now that those ruling the roost for the day come to believe they have the power to abuse, however temporarily, to score a pyrrhic victory.
A system that does not want to encourage a pan-systemic fabric in the interests of all stakeholders, but only attempts to foster one in order to protect its interest is myopic. It only wants to include others at their own terms. Such a system is not interested in the long term development of a culture, but works to ensure that the power centre stays with the founders. Such a system is controlled periodically or cyclically by short-sighted minds that wants to ensure their relevance and is its own cancer.
We are living in such times under such systems from local to global, national to universal, notional to empirical. We are living in such matrices as need to be either overthrown or shirked. I was witness to one such very recently and one such that I WAS glad to be a part of and contribute to in the past; a system that is no more open to improvements but is mired in its own bog of physiological growth into bureaucracy that does not anymore aim to foster the growth of its ultimate, purported recipients: learners!
The founding fathers and mothers have long deserted in foresight, surrogate suppliants cyclically lord over ensuring the inorganic degeneration. The gods of rationale and wisdom too would soon desert them. Newer parallel systems would perhaps overtake. Pity to what could have been!
I've always known one cannot fly with turkeys; but, the moment of epiphany is when the realisation dawns that those around you are turkeys. At least, those ruling the roost are turkeys, Orwellian pigs and dogs that would piss on the blueprint when it is not conducive to their egoistic parasitism and predatorial social climbing instincts. You take a decision then: DO NOT fly with turkeys anymore.!
A system that is non-inclusive either at ideological or at practical level is what fuels factions, divisions, partitions; especially when that system harbours cheap ideas of reparations of perceived harms of the past, now that those ruling the roost for the day come to believe they have the power to abuse, however temporarily, to score a pyrrhic victory.
A system that does not want to encourage a pan-systemic fabric in the interests of all stakeholders, but only attempts to foster one in order to protect its interest is myopic. It only wants to include others at their own terms. Such a system is not interested in the long term development of a culture, but works to ensure that the power centre stays with the founders. Such a system is controlled periodically or cyclically by short-sighted minds that wants to ensure their relevance and is its own cancer.
We are living in such times under such systems from local to global, national to universal, notional to empirical. We are living in such matrices as need to be either overthrown or shirked. I was witness to one such very recently and one such that I WAS glad to be a part of and contribute to in the past; a system that is no more open to improvements but is mired in its own bog of physiological growth into bureaucracy that does not anymore aim to foster the growth of its ultimate, purported recipients: learners!
The founding fathers and mothers have long deserted in foresight, surrogate suppliants cyclically lord over ensuring the inorganic degeneration. The gods of rationale and wisdom too would soon desert them. Newer parallel systems would perhaps overtake. Pity to what could have been!
Thursday, September 15, 2016
The Challenge Before Us Today...
What we need to teach the children today is the difference between reality and the ideal.
The ideal is to be sought after, striven for, even worked towards; however, it is also essential to show the children the need and importance of accepting reality (at its face value) and learn to live with it, in it.
There is nothing wrong in wanting everything and desiring to do that which only appeals to us. Though, the reality does not pan out that way; to accept their unwillingness to come to terms with the needs of reality and not wanting to do what they do not like to do, in the short or longer run, would eventually lead to delusions; to become unable to live life as it is and at its own terms; to be left behind; to become escapist and ultimately, as failures.
Failure in what sense: in a practical sense. Sometimes, thus, the visionaries of a system must accept that we need to thrust upon children what they may not like, but must learn to do, precisely because they do not know the need to be reality-compliant. To do is more important than to dislike. Else, the future is fragile!
The ideal is to be sought after, striven for, even worked towards; however, it is also essential to show the children the need and importance of accepting reality (at its face value) and learn to live with it, in it.
There is nothing wrong in wanting everything and desiring to do that which only appeals to us. Though, the reality does not pan out that way; to accept their unwillingness to come to terms with the needs of reality and not wanting to do what they do not like to do, in the short or longer run, would eventually lead to delusions; to become unable to live life as it is and at its own terms; to be left behind; to become escapist and ultimately, as failures.
Failure in what sense: in a practical sense. Sometimes, thus, the visionaries of a system must accept that we need to thrust upon children what they may not like, but must learn to do, precisely because they do not know the need to be reality-compliant. To do is more important than to dislike. Else, the future is fragile!
Saturday, September 10, 2016
Jose, his Posse and the £600 Million Derby
Jose, his Posse and the £600 Million Derby
“.…. Farewell, happy fields,
Where joy forever dwells! Hail, horrors! hail,
Infernal world! And thou profoundest Hell,
Receive thy new possessor - one who brings
A mind not to be changed by place or time,
The mind in its own place and in itself
Can make a Heaven of Hell, a Hell of Heaven,
What matters where, if I be still the same,
And what I should be, all but less than he
Whom thunder had made greater?”
In football, as in life, there are three types of managers: the Fergie type - God. Rules. Omnipotent. They hold the system by its proverbial balls; the Wenger type - Suave. Honest. Tireless like Boxer in Animal Farm. Convinced about his ideals, confused about priorities. They are the eternal romantics. They are the Dantons who could have changed the course of the French Revolution! And then there are the Archangels… after they fell. Made a demi-god by those on whose side they are, these are the managers everybody who is not a papparazzi and who is on the other side of the mystical lake of silverware love to hate because they are not on the right side.
As a little digression, these other-siders also at times consider the greener grass on the banks of the lake as a result of septic tank fertility. Losers! But digressions aside, these Archangels before and after Fall… they sooner than later move from being The God’s Chosen Ones, from The Special One to the Falling One! You get the picture what or who this post is about!
Back in the early Noughties of this Millennium, Paradise Beckoned. Silverwares won. Soon after, Paradise Lost. Then again Paradise Regained. And then… Paradise Replicated. It is an eternal Work in Progress, this Paradise business! And tiresome it can be… moving from the Theatre of ‘realised’ Dreams, getting from being burnt on The Bridge, to the Theatre of ‘high pressure’ Dreams. In doing so, you are entering a land of indolent race that is privileged to think of itself as a special race thanks to a glorious past.
At the beginning was Porto. 2002. Then came The Bridge. Now the Theatre. It’s show time.
One of the most charismatic trouble-magnets, ‘the choice and master spirit of (his) age,’ how will Jose Mourinho cope? At The Bridge, if Terry was the Captain Leader Legend, Mourinho was the Hero Villain Entertainer. His touchline rants and shunts with Pep and Wenger are stuff of saleable soundbytes. The special, not-so-perfect Ariel he was, his tantrums, grumbling, whining, moaning interviews, bullying and blame-games post-matches did not befit the role. More the Caliban! Most people came to think of Jose Mourinho as more of a Ruffian on the Stair who kept throwing stones at other’s windows than a Prospero of magic and miracles: every time, towards the end of his exit. Yes, one could see the pattern, the cycle, the mosaic. First the ascend. Then the glory. Soon it all went gory.
If ever there was a concoction of heady Shakespearean enfant terrible, Jose it was. Iago in his unflinching beliefs, Macbeth in unrelenting ambition, Tubal in his taunts… but never a Hamlet. What a fall there was, gentlemen! His last days at The Bridge in 2014-15 made him a prattling Lear!!
One wondered: what next! What awaits? Away from The Bridge, he wandered around like Kaspar, the lost child of Europe, with the Albatross round his neck, like a mad-eyed Mariner. He was even being hazardously accused of spoiling the Eden. And then came the rumours. Who will be his Professor Daumer? Pep was headed to the noisy neighbourhood, Klopp was at the Kop, whither Jose? Haunting the streets of London, he was sighted by The Sun and the Daily Mail sparing saucy soundbytes.
Finally, the Glazers showed up. The Spoilt Ones, desperate to regain the Championship seat and lost glory, saw in him the Saviour. And thus… Manchester United Ho! Between him and the Castle stand several Bowzers: Guardiola, Klopp, Conte, Poch, Koeman… and some keen and lesser mortals with hidden spanners! And that man, who like Count Vlad, now that he’s tasted blood, would want another shy - the Professorial Ranieri. What ho, Claudio!
At the time of getting minted, the Derby has already been lost. We wonder what the post-conference wine would taste like!!
Will Jose? Will he not? He has the arms, ammunitions and the tanks this time. Would there be fighting or just grumbling, whining, moaning, bullying touchline skirmishes, blaming umpires and linesmen… and some more grumbling, whining, moaning etc? The Special One has the Talented but ageing Wayne, the Tireless Juan, the self-proclaimed Legend Zlat, the Emerging Marcus and some more. It can’t be that difficult, with the sensible Armenian too!!! Let’s wait and watch, the game is on. Will it be all talks R.I.P or another W.I.P? Would he say…
“What matters where, if I be still the same,
And what I should be, all but less than he
Whom thunder had made greater?”
Would he? After all…
The mind in its own place and in itself
Can make a Heaven of Hell, a Hell of Heaven.
The signs are encouraging. The start looks promising. It’s up to him and his posse. C’mon, Jose!
Thursday, February 18, 2016
Our strange democracy
A lot of razzmatazz is being thrown into the JNU issue. It is plain and clear that the minority Opposition has once again managed to upstage the actual issue. Umar Khalid has quietly gone off the radar, Kanhaiya Kumar has been pushed to the center of the storm conveniently for the anti-BJP Inc. to mount an assault on the Parliament precinct with the next election in mind. The actual issue of Afzal Guru, the Kashmir separation agenda, separatist propaganda on Indian soil by Kashmiris (who in this case did not come from JNU and consider themselves Kashmiris not Indians and hence any expression by them in Delhi or any other part of India that is not Kashmir is anti-national activity, since they aim it so!) have all been quietly consigned to non-issue. As usual a lot of importance to the (secondary) messenger is being given and everyone is aiming their guns at the messengers and the recipients, rather than the sender of this missive.
Today it ridiculously has come to the state that a lot of Indian citizens want to question and debate on the notion of What is India? At a time when we must be, like China and Japan, South Korea and other progressive nations, be discussing the one-point of agenda of how to make our nation strong, these politicians with nothing else but political divisiveness on their minds are opportunistically manipulating this freedom of expression thingie. Is this required? Have we become so reactionary, emotionally susceptible to being brainwashed by the political forces who really do not care for the existing national identity purely because it is not convenient that they are not in the seat of power? Do we even have the spine to call ourselves rational beings, falling for these cheap-tricks by phoney cardsharps who claim themselves the good samaritans of the country? Is this democracy?
A democracy, by definition, is that where there is opportunity and scope for peoples of all genders, faiths and classes to participate in the majority. Now the situation we have is this: one group that has been in the majority is afraid that another group MAY become equal if not insidiously dominant; their case is vindicated by the example of Kashmir; then there is another group that has so long been on the minority because, at some point, their founding fathers wanted to shy away from forming the core of nation-building when they had the opportunity and reinvented the wheel aka Pakistan. A majority of this minority that did not fit their vehicle with the reinvented wheel, lives in the rest of the country besides Kashmir, wants to have equal if not dominant status. However, their heart is rent between fighting for the majority status quo of the majority minority, viz their Kashmiri brethren, than changing their own minority minority status quo into equal majority. Inside this scenario we have the majority and the minority fighting on religious preferences than economic. Looking at this conundrum from the periphery, there is a third group, who has no ideals, credo or canons but a vote-bank sense of ruler ship and manipulates the sentiments of the minority, the which the periphery successfully divided into two different minority. Now it is altogether a different matter that the second minority, that has been made to live with delusions as the real minority, is the majority in some states. So how do we get out of this state?
Get the third party out. This sounds like the story of the cat that helped the two monkey come to a conclusion on how best to share their food, right? Of course, the third party had given us a sense of themselves as the center of gravity. But 'things fall apart, the center cannot hold... the beast turned towards (proverbial Bethlehem and had) its Second Coming.' As a result, sanity and sense of order was restored and the periphery was dumped back to the margins. With it trying to claw back to center, it is time for the original two to come together and stay together. A start has been made. All reconciliations are difficult to start with, but if persisted with, will settle down given time and patience. Hope similar starts can happen in Assam and elsewhere in North-East too!
Tuesday, January 26, 2016
Musing about random ideas
Everyone says, when they are slighted or appalled by anything they think is wrong with society, 'What? In this day and age? In 21st Century...!'
I ask: What is this forced mystique about 21st century? Is it just a number in the mind? Isn't everything in the mind? If it's not 21st century, is it OK to have those whatever-malaises the people, the press asks the so-called oppressed or denied or marginalised about?
We used to say, how can evils persist. This is 20th Century. Now it is 21st Century? Does the passage of time automatically mean progressive minds?
I ask: What is this forced mystique about 21st century? Is it just a number in the mind? Isn't everything in the mind? If it's not 21st century, is it OK to have those whatever-malaises the people, the press asks the so-called oppressed or denied or marginalised about?
We used to say, how can evils persist. This is 20th Century. Now it is 21st Century? Does the passage of time automatically mean progressive minds?
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