Chandigarh, May 30, 2012: The Adviser to the Administrator UT Sh.K.K.Sharma inaugurated the WOMEN DIRECTORS THEATRE FESTIVAL, in the presence of Home Secretary Sh.Anil Kumar, Finanace Secretary Sh.V.K.Singh, Director Cultural affairs ms.Jaswinder kaur and other senior officials Chandigarh Administration here today at Tagore Theatre. This Theatre Festival is especially dedicated to Women Directors who have made their mark to change the dynamics of Theatre with their creativity and ingenuity.
The three day festival unfolded with the staging of the play titled Roop Aroop, a play written and directed by National School of Drama alumnus, Tripurari Sharma who through this enchanting theatre piece traces the tussle between an accomplished male performer who had been enacting a woman’s role for years and the woman who has just stepped on stage for the role which was denied to her earlier with interplaying forms of men and women in complementary roles.
Synopsis of the play
This play has the popular performing tradition of “NAUTANKI” as its backdrop. Till few years ago (and in some parts even today) men adorn the female persona who is passed on from generation to generation. However towards the middle of the previous century women set foot on this stage. Most of them from the “BEDIN” community who are singers and dancers by caste and birth. They performs in festivals and occasions like marriage the stage was a distant dream, it meant dignity as performer. The tussle between the male accomplished actor and the aspiring woman entrails could not have been an easy one. This is an attempt by two young actors to explore some human dimensions of this phenomenon. The man may exit but the popular female persona that continues to persist.
About the Director & Playwright: Tripurari Sharma
Born in 1956, Tripurari Sharma did graduation in English literature from Delhi University and completed her diploma in Direction from NSD in 1979.
She is a playwright, translator and director of repute and has conducted theatre workshops in India and abroad. She has written and Directed plays like, Bahu, Birsa Munda, Aks paheli, Banjh Ghati Sazaa, kath ki Gadi, Lal Lal Hathi, and Hello to myself for institutions like I.P. College, SRC repertory, Chhattisgarh Natya kala manch, women and media group, Delhi Bharat Bhawan, Rangamandal Bhopal, NSD repertory and TIE company. She has also directed plays like Reshmi Rummal, Daire, Sumati and lado Mausi for the group Alarippu; has produced the solo pieces , suryast ke baad and badlaav, and has directed Mohan rakesh’s Adhe Adure, Lourca’a Birjees Qadar Ka Qunba and Chekov’s Cherry Orchard for the NSD repertory. Azizun and traitors are her original works. She has written scripts of critically acclaimed films like Mirch Mishala and Hazar Chaurasia ki maa and has also co-directed a few short films on the theme of adolescent girl child and has been associated with the street theatre movement.
Ms Sharma has Travelled with her group to Norway, England and Pakistan and represented India in first woman playwright’s conference in the USA,1988. She was honored with the sanskriti Award, Delhi in 1986 and by Delhi Natya Sangh in 1990. At present she is Associate Professor, Acting at NSD
The play “Episode in the Life of an Author” (In Hindi) by Ms.Bharti Sharma will be staged on 31st May, 2012 at 7 pm at Tagore Theatre, Active in theatre.
The entry to Women theatre Festival being organized by Tagore Theatre Society is free however the passes are also available at Tagore theatre .Tourist Information Centre Sukhna Lake, Chandigarh Sangeet Natak Akademi, Sector 34.