Delhi Theatre Festival

The stage is set for the fifth edition of the much-awaited Delhi Theatre Festival

Seven timeless stories, live performances and a stellar cast of legendary actors including Shabana Azmi, Naseeruddin Shah, Ratna Pathak Shah, Lillete Dubey, and Vinay Pathak are ready to light up the stage for the fifth season of the Delhi Theatre Festival (DTH).

The festival, which has become a cornerstone for theatre in Delhi-NCR, opens tonight with Old World based on Russian playwright Aleksei Arbuzov’s 1977 work Old-World, and translated into English by Ariadne Nicholaeff. It is a conversation between two characters, Rodion (played by Naseer), medical head of a sanatorium, and Lydia (Ratna) who has arteriosclerosis. The play reflects the affection between two lonely people.

Delhiites will get to see some unparalleled theatrical performances and enjoy an immersive experience over the next three days (September 20 to 22) as Alchemist Live brings back the popular festival to town. The plays are being staged across four venues - the Siri Fort Auditorium, Kamani Auditorium, OP Jindal Auditorium, and the Orana Convention in Gurugram – to enable theatre lovers living in different parts of the city to watch outstanding theatre.

Shabana Azmi returns to the Capital’s stage after a gap with Girish Karnad’s Broken Images. She plays a challenging role of two sisters and their many images morphing into one another. ‘’DTH holds a special place in my heart, performing here is an invigorating experience and it fills me both with excitement and anxiety,’’ she said in a statement

Based on Twinkle Khanna’s short story and directed by Lillete Dubey, Salaam Noni Appa is about breaking stereotypes and being open to new adventures to rediscover what makes life worth living. Lillete, who plays the central character in this autumn romance, says it thrills her to participate in DTH in her hometown where she debuted more than five decades ago.

The COO and Co-founder of Alchemist Live, Prabhu Tony says, given the high public expectation, the energy-driven festival this year explores theatrical diversity.

Establishing new benchmarks are three other three big cast plays: One On One Dhamaal written by Ayeesha Menon is an amusing collage of modern India in nine monologues; Lillete Dubey retells the Mahabharata in rock ballad style in Jaya. The two-hour production is a visual montage of the main events through the eyes of Yudhishthira; Rajat Kapoor directs a satirical adaptation of Shakespeare’s Macbeth - What’s Done is Done - which will bring the curtain down on the festival.

Each season has grown better with a mesmerising curation of plays, electrifying performances by renowned actors, and a vibrant atmosphere that celebrates the magic of live theatre. “The audience can look forward to a whirlwind of emotions, laughter and drama this season too,” says Sanjay Khanna, CEO of American Express, sponsoring the event.

(For details, timings and tickets, log on to BookMyShow)

Published - September 19, 2024 11:35 pm IST