BWW Previews: 17TH EDITION OF OLD WORLD THEATRE FESTIVAL To Commence In Delhi

Recognized as one of the oldest and most prestigious theatre festivals in Delhi, Old World Theatre Festival brings the best of Indian plays to be staged at India Habitat Centre from 20th-28th October. 15 plays over a period of 9 days bring the theatre enthusiast closer to the stage. A pan Indian constellation of original scripts from Chennai, Bangalore, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Pune, Mumbai and Kerala are scheduled to come together to create riveting experiences for Delhites.

Responding to significant strands of theatre practice from across the country, the line-up features productions with a unique voice and performance language that speaks to our times. It is a spectrum that mirrors the continuities in Indian Theatre from the earliest to the most contemporary.

Kutiyattam (from Kerala), one of the most stylized and earliest forms of Sanskrit theatre with roots extending to even the Tamil Koothu, which dates as far back as Sangam era (3rd century BC - 3rd century AD) opens the festival onOct 20, Sat, at 6.30pm. Kutiyattam has been recognized by UNESCO as a "Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity". The productions scheduled to visit are representative of the multidimensional character of theatre today with the dynamic interplay of text with sound, choreography, physical theatre, local and people's histories to fluid genders, food, sign language and gestures to deconstruct a theatre goer's usual expectations. The fact that for the first time a National Theatre Live Broadcast eased its way into the line-up is a clear indication of how the festival is extending its boundaries to accommodate various formats that have come to influence the theatre goer's imagination in recent times(NTLive Broadcast is an initiative by the Royal National Theatre in London which broadcasts theatreperformances to cinemas and arts centres around the world).Along with affordable reasonable ticket prices (Rs.500 being the highest denomination), there are free performances as well.

Announcing the festival Vidyun Singh, Director Programmes, Habitat World, India Habitat Centre, described the line up as a "watershed in the history of the festival". "I am so excited to bring the Gen Next of Indian theatre to the heart of India. The number of original scripts marked by unexpected take offs and performance styles does clearly point to a wave of theatre groups passionate to push the boundaries to tell the stories of today. And it is to their passion and talent, despite all the limitations of funding and performance infrastructure in the country, that we owe this refreshing edition that will move you out of your comfort zones. "

There are two scintillating all-women productions in the line-up (Beyond Borders exploring boundaries of nationality, caste, colour, ethnicity, gender, body and mind and DekhBehen, a bittersweet comedy about daughters, girlfriends, mothers, sisters, wives, and getting through one big fat Indian wedding. Item starkly traces a B-grade film actress's life while exposing the objectification of the female body and the male chauvinistic media that plays up the image of the sexualised woman. The explorations into the fluid counters of gender and sexuality find a place in many productions pointing to this overarching strand (The Legend of Ila, a Puranic retelling and an exciting musical exploration of gender fluidity and queerness and Bhagi Hui Ladkiyan, first hand retellings of day to day life of 4 girls in HazratNizamuddinBasti). Conversations about family, trust, consent and personal space begin to play out in others (like Gaa Re Maa and Under an Oak Tree).

How political power transforms to tyranny quelling all kinds of dissent and how human beings get entrapped in the grand scheme of power play are explored in Pascualnama and One Night Only. While on the one end of the spectrum, we have the highly stylized and ritualistic Sanskrit theatre in Kutiyattam, on the other, Avantika Bahl's Say, What? focusses on the interaction between two people who slide between using and abandoning codified language and of which one performer is hearing impaired. Avantika Bahl learned the Indian Sign Language in 2015 to develop this piece!

Dastaan Live is an immersive musical exploration of the Indian condition which combines live music with the visual arts, sound & light design that tells the story of New Delhi. It attempts to provide a forum for audiences to cast light on their own experiences living in the city. Inviting audiences to get lost in the culinary stories of our streets, Stand on the Street curates an unusual experienceunearthing for us the labour and love behind street food. The performance allows for only 30 participants..

Set in the mystical world of Gutterland,Purva Naresh's Utterly Gutterly Atrocious is a production for children (6 years and above), a witty spin on the age old tale of the hare and the tortoise.

Apart from these, there will be a workshop by leading light designer, Yael Crishna, for those with prior experience in handling theatre lights.

From 27th September (Thursday), tickets (&passes for free shows) will be available from the Programmes desk of India Habitat Centre.

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