11-play bonanza to open with Manoj Joshi’s Chanakya today

Lalit Gupta

JAMMU, Mar 21:  Organized by National School of Drama (NSD), New Delhi, under aegis of Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India, the 8th Theatre Olympiad is all set to mesmerize winter capital’s civil society from tomorrow onwards as the State of Jammu and Kashmir is one of the co-hosts of world largest theatre festival being held in India for the first time.
This edition of global theatre festival inaugurated in national capital on Feb 17,  2018 will cover 17 cities of the country with over 25000 artistes performing 450 shows, 600 ambiance performances and 250 youth shows.
Supported by J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages, the Jammu chapter of Theatre Olympiad 2018, starting from March 22, till April 1, 2018, the 11-play bonanza by international and national theatre groups of repute is going to be staged at the Abhinav Theatre, here.
Theatre Olympiad’s opening play will be Dharamajam Theatre Mumbai’s Hindi play ‘Chanakya’, directed and acted by film veteran Manoj Joshi. On Mar 23, the play in mixed languages of Hindi, Magi and Bhojpuri, Gabarghichor, will be performed by The Fact Art & Cultural Society, Begusarai, under direction of Pravin Kumar Gunjan.
The third play on Sunday will be ‘Oondra’ in Rajasthani by Anupam Rang Theatre Society, under direction of Rakesh Khatri. On Sunday, Hindi play ‘Salaam 1950’s Ke Naam’, directed by Nadira Babar, will be staged by Mumbai’s Ekjute Theatre Group.  Directed by Deborah Merola, The Dairy of Anna Frank, a play in English, will be performed on by One World Theatre, Nepal, on March 26. Hindustani play ‘Barff’, directed by another film veteran Saurabh Sukla, will be presented on March 27, by AGP World Pvt.. Ltd., Mumbai.
Directed by K.K. Raina, Hindi play Namaste Jaishree Krishna will be staged by Surnai, Mumbai on March 28. The English play from USA, ‘The Last One’, directed by Gema Galiana, will be staged by the Galiana and Nikochev’s Useless, on March 30. Rangayan, Bhopal, will perform Hindi play ‘Jangal Me Khulne Wali Khirki’, directed by Prashant Khirvadkar on March 31. Ratan Thiyam’s ‘Macbeth’ in Manipuri by Chorus Repertory Group, Manipur, will be the penultimate performance on March 31. The World Theatre Festival will conclude on April 1, 2018, with Hindi play, ‘Bikhre Bimb’, under direction of Arunditi Nag by Rang Shankara, Bengaluru.
Abdul Latif Khatana, Associate Professor, NSD, and Rakesh Singh, NSD graduate and local coordinator, said there are no entry tickets and everybody is welcome to enjoy the theatre extravaganza at Abhinav Theatre at 6 p.m. daily, from March 22 to April 1, 2018.