Venkat Raman
Auckland, September 6, 2020
‘Yatra’ to feature eight plays from October 1 to 10, 2020
Prayas, perhaps the only organisation in New Zealand which has truly promoted quality Theatre, is completing 15 years of establishment, to celebrate which, talented thespians will present a unique production next month.
Indian Newslink is proud of its association with Prayas, which has seen scores of artistes graduate through its centre-stage and aisles since 2005 when it began as a playhouse to provide opportunities for producers, directors, actors and production teams to showcase their talent.
Prior to settling down at The Auckland Performing Arts Centre (TAPAC) in Western Springs, the organisation went on stage at various locations, notably the Auckland Boys Grammar School. Over the past 11 years in particular, Prayas has grown to become the sine quo non for English Theatre, creating a stage to portray characters of famous playwrights and icons, who are all essentially from the Indian Sub-Continent.
From ‘Charandas Chor’ and ‘Khoj,’ to many other plays, Prayas and its people have proved beyond a shadow of doubt that Indian Theatre is vibrant and creative as any other dramatic forms.
The cast of Charandas Chor (2005)
Amita Ohdedar Director, ‘Charandas Chor’ (2005)
As Prayas marches towards its next 15 years, we wish its creators Amit Ohdedar, Sudeepta Vyas and many others the best of Theatre.
Crystal Celebrations
Marking its Crystal Jubilee, five directors have come together to one vision to life alongside an impressive ensemble cast of more than 20 artistes on stage.
A press release said that the production, called, ‘Yatra’ (Journey), will take audiences on a whirlwind journey through snippets of eight different plays from eight different playwrights at TAPAC from October 1 to October 10, 2020.
“Each tale ventures into different time periods in the Indian subcontinent, featuring works from various genres and regions in India,” the Note said.
Sudeepta Vyas and Priya Chellani in The Terrace (2007)
Challenge and growth
Sudeepta said that Prayas has always been more than a theatre group.
“Those of us, who found our way to it, had individual ideas. We were bold enough to challenge our own archetypes. We went to places that made us uncomfortable. We unwrapped the migrant angst. The feeling of belonging or not (Swabhoomi, Khoj). We told the shocking story about Indian women who take up mourning and wailing for the dead as a profession to feed their living (Rudali). We staged anarchy through poetry (Tasher Desh). We showcased history (Dara) and presented folk theatre (Charandas Chor). We made our audiences laugh (Love N Stuff) and then made them cry (A Fine Balance). Sometimes, we did all of this in one show (‘First World Problems’),” she said.
According to the press release, ‘Yatra’ will resonate with Prayas and each director who all have their long history and journey with the organisation.
A scene from ‘Khoj’ (2009)
“The large cast and crew come together to celebrate this impressive 15-year milestone with their most ambitious show to date, bringing together eight different worlds that will transport the audiences across time and space, from a South Indian village in the 1970s, to a London grocery shop in the present day, to the Taj Mahal in the 1600s,” it said.
Debutants in new venture
Sananda Chatterjee, who has been with the company since 2005, will make her debut as Assistant Producer and Assistant Director with ‘Yatra.’ She is also directing ‘Ten Ton Tongue,’ a monologue from Shards by Gautam Raja about a woman’s experience of sexual assault.
While Sneha Shetty, who has performed in various Prayas productions, makes her debut as Assistant Director for ‘Yatra’ and Director of Aurat (by political theatre-maker Safdar Hashmi), a short piece about the patriarchy and how it affects women through different stages of life.
Mr Ohdedar is directing two works, ‘Keats was a Tuber’ by playwright Poile Sengupta and Harlesden High Street by Abhishek Majumdar.
A satirical story set in an English Department of an Indian University, it questions the relevance and ownership of English in a post-colonial context.
‘Harlesden High Street’ is a poetic piece about migrant stories and journeys, seen through the eyes of a Pakistani family running a grocery shop in London.
Rishabh Kapoor, who has previously acted with Prayas, directs Water/Thaneer, which looks at water scarcity and political corruption in rural South India in the 1970s, offering a peek into what feels like a dystopian setting from playwright Komal Swaminathan.
Mr Kapoor also directs ‘I Really Want to Meet God’ from Shashikant Tasgaonkar, an absurdist piece that takes audiences into the world of two housekeepers, who have never met the owner of the home they look after.
Humour at Taj Mahal
First-time Prayas director and past Prayas actor Aman Bajaj takes the helm of ‘Know the Truth’ and ‘The Guards’ at the Taj. Set in a newsroom, ‘Know the Truth’ is a satire by award-winning playwright and journalist Manjula Padmanabhan, exploring the dangers of propaganda.
‘The Guards at the Taj’ is a multi award-winning comedy from Rajiv Joseph, about two imperial guards guarding the Taj Mahal as it is being built but are being forbidden from looking at it.
Supporting the production is producer Ahi Karunaharan, lighting designer Calvin Hudson, set designer Natasha Iyer, sound designer Ritesh Vaghela, with costume and make up by Padma Akula and marketing by Alisha Iyer.
‘Yatra’ Plays
From October 1 to October 10, 2020
Tuesday to Friday (730 pm); Saturday 330 pm and 8 pm; Sunday 330 pm
At TAPAC, 100 Motions Rd, Pt Chevalier
Tickets: $25 – $30
Bookings at https://www.tapac.org.nz/whats-on/yatra-prayas
https://prayas.co.nz/
