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Akshayambara
An experimental Kannada play that uses modern theatrical tools and Yakshagana to question female representation and male ownership
Director
90 Minutes | Kannada with English Subtitles
About the Play:
‘Akshayambara’ is an experimental Kannada play that uses both modern theatrical tools and the dance drama form of Yakshagana to create a contemporary narrative that raises questions on female representation and male ownership. What happens when a woman enters the professional space of a dance form performed by men for the last 800 years? Drawing from research and personal experience, the performance imagines a reversal of roles in the popular Yakshagana plot of ‘Draupadi Vastrapaharana’ (disrobing of Draupadi). A veteran male artist in streevesha (female disguise) plays the virtuous Draupadi, while in a tradition defying move, an amateur woman is cast as chief antagonist, Kaurava. When tradition allows a man to play a woman will the same tradition accept the reverse? How does her entry redefine who is man and who is woman, who wields power, who is hero and antagonist, victim and perpetrator? How far will the traditional boundaries be pushed when an outsider enters the inner circle? What will be its consequences? The performers confront these questions as they shift between stage and greenroom, between male and female, epic and reality, personal and political, their tussle offering radically new perspectives on tradition, gender, power and morality.
The play was developed through the INLAKS Scholarship ’14, supported by the India Foundation for the Arts (IFA) and premiered at the Ranga Shankara Theatre Festival ’15. It won the Best Original Script & Best Actor (Male) at the Mahindra Excellence in Theatre Awards (META) ’16. The play has performed about 50 shows across various venues and at festivals such NINASAM Theatre Festival, Heggodu, International Theatre Festival of Kerala (ITFoK), Thrissur, Bharat Rang Mahotsav (NSD), New Delhi, India@UK Festival at South Bank Centre London and Kalaa Utsavam Festival at the Esplanade Singapore.
About the Troupe:
Dramanon Bengaluru started in 2006 as an artist’s collective that supports original writing, nurtures new talent and uses theatre tools for learning and development at workplaces. Over the last 13 years, our work has travelled widely to festivals and venues both nationally and internationally, such as the Writer’s Bloc Festival, Ranga Shankara Theatre festival, Mahindra Excellence in Theatre Awards (META), NINASAM Theatre Festival, Theaterfestival Schwindelfrei Mannheim, Germany, BharathRangMahotsav, India@UK festival in SouthBank Center, London, Kalaa Utsavam, Singapore and most recently at The Hindu Theatre Festival 2019.
Cast: Draupadi / Man: Prasad Cherkady Kaurava / Woman: Sharanya Ramprakash
Crew: Playwright & Director: Sharanya Ramprakash, Assistant Director: Surabhi Herur, Kannada Translation: Kruti R, Performance Design: Shubhra Nayar, Choreography: Guru Sanjeeva Suvarna, Lighting Design: Swetanshu Bora, Padya composition: Guru Subramanya Prasad, Kruti R & Sharanya Ramprakash, Bhagvatha (Musician): Guru Subramanya Prasad, Chende (Musician): Guru Krishna Murthy Bhatt, Maddale (Musician): Rathnakar Shenoy / Guru A P Ghatak, Violin: Pranav Manjunath, Production Manager: Sridhar Prasad Sound: Karan Shurpalekar\ Rohan Singhvi, Sound Mixing: Bharath MC, Backstage: Aswin Varrier, Naveen Chhabria & Ritwik Upadhyayula, Artwork: Rupesh Patange
This project is made possible by a grant from India Foundation for the Arts (IFA) with part support from Voltas Limited.
Director
Sharanya Ramprakash
Sharanya Ramprakash is a theatre maker who works in both English and Kannada language theatre. She is one of the founders of Dramanon, Bengaluru which she runs along with 3 other artists. She is a student of the Udupi Yakshagana Kendra where she trains under the tutelage of Guru Sanjeeva Suvarna. Sharanya is an INLAKS scholar, India Foundation for the Arts (IFA) grantee, Theatertreffen International Forum scholar and member of Lincoln Centre Director’s Lab. Her play ‘Akshayambara’ won the Best Original Script at the Mahindra Excellence in Theatre Awards (META) ’16 and is in performance currently. Her latest work ‘Mythology Upon the Table’ with director Baboo Liao was performed at the Taipei International Arts Festival ’19 (TIFA) and is touring France and Taiwan in 2020. She is now working with Aravani Art Project in devising a new performance piece that opens in November 2019.
