Manam Theatre Festival to celebrate diversity in cultures and communities

From revolutionising cacao cultivation and crafting indigenous chocolates to establishing one of the finest chocolateries in Hyderabad, the city-based Manam Chocolate brand is set to diversify into the art and culture space. The month-long Manam Theatre Festival, set to take place every weekend beginning from November 24, also marks the launch of the Almond House Foundation, an initiative by the 30-year-old Hyderabad-based sweet house to engage and empower the diverse community in the city.

Harika Vedula, Founder of The We _ Us Collective, curator and director of the Manam Theatre Festival, shares the festival tagline: ‘Celebrating performance, culture and community’. She says, “The festival is the outcome of like-minded people seeking to do something that’s not there; it is a venture celebrating inclusivity yet honouring diversity.”

With the belief that theatre plays a role in changing society’s narrative, the Foundation moves forward with a collective of artistes, creators, performers, and collaborators; an ensemble of theatre professionals.

Four-week fiesta

Spanning four weekends from November 24 to December 17, the Manam Theatre Festival brings 18 shows to the city: four visiting troupes and four local troupes at four different venues. The events include mini-talks, workshops, demonstrations, and plays in English, Hindi, and Telugu. “We have focussed on different styles and skill sets and tapped different corners of the country. The plays, which are profound, are not preachy and bound to make an impact on the audience,” says Harika.

Sofiyum, the band from Sikkim lends their music to ‘The Far Post
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Actor, theatre director, and corporate coach Yuki Elias brings her award-winning solo act Elephant in the Room, presented by Dur Se Brothers of Mumbai, while the Sikkimese band Sofiyum blends Lepcha folk and contemporary sounds in her second play, The Far Post, co-starring Tapas Boro. Bali and Bhoomi are two plays by Puducherry-based theatre group Adishakti — one is an adaptation of the Ramayana, and the other is an adaptation from well-known Malayalam writer Sara Joseph’s Bhoomirakshasa.

Henry Naylor
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The multi-award-winning UK playwright Henry Naylor, described as one of the finest writers on contemporary events, brings Afghanistan is not Funny — a grim picture of the country, post 9/11.

‘’The Nights by Katkatha
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The University of Hyderabad group, through their play Rest of the History, pays homage to Badal Sircar, who juxtaposed social issues with theatrical experimentation. Delhi-based Katkatha presents The Nights, a single-act puppet show where, unlike most puppet shows, the actor and the puppeteer are brought together, and three well-known stories from Arabian Nights are presented through this unique show.

Hyderabad-based Kissago and Sutradhar present Shakkar ke paanch daane and Biryani aur Haleem, respectively, while Curtain Call Theatre presents Petromax Panchayat in Telugu, directed by Surabhi Santosh.

The schedule:

WEEKEND 1

Shakkar Ke Paanch Daane by Kissago (Hyderabad)‘, November 24, 7.30pm

Directed by Jay Jha and written by Manav Kaul, the play features Jay Jha

Venue: Rangbhoomi Spaces, Gachibowli, Hyderabad

About Ram by Katkatha (Delhi), November 25, 4.30pm & 8pm

This is an experimental theatrical piece using excerpts from Bhavbhuti’s Ramayana and told through animation, digitally projected dance, masks and puppets.

Directed by Anurupa Roy; animation by Vishal K Dhar and a cast that includes Anurupa Roy, Pawan Waghmare, Mohammad Shameem and Avinash Kumar

Venue: NIFT Auditorium, Hitech City, Hyderabad

The Nights (single-act puppet show) by Katkatha (Delhi) November 26, 4.30pm & 8pm

Directed by Anurupa Roy and written by Adithi Rao and Neel Chaudhari, it features Anurupa Roy, Kriti Maria Pant, Mohammad Shameem, Avinash Kumar. Sound design and live voice by Neel Chaudhuri and light design by Bharavi; puppet construction by Mohammad Shameem, Asha, Anurupa Roy

Venue: NIFT Auditorium, Hitech City, Hyderabad

Language: English/Hindi

WEEKEND 2

Petromax Panchayatby Curtain Call Theatre (Hyderabad), December 1, 7.30pm