Celebrating Theatre - Interactive Session With Amal Allana: Events in Hyderabad

REVIEW FOR CELEBRATING THEATRE - INTERACTIVE...

The Qadir Ali Baig Theatre Foundation, in association with ITC Kakatiya Sheraton, presents the "Celebrating Theatre" series to inculcate theater awareness amongst the theater and arts fraternity, audiences and media in the twin cities.

The series, conceived and designed by Mohammad Ali Baig, and a part of the theater revival initiative by the Foundation, brings to Hyderabad eminent people from the world of theater and related arts, to share their experiences, opinions and views. Previous presenters in the series have included Habib Tanvir, M S Sathyu, Mohan Maharishi, Prasanna, Jabbar Patel and Shabana Azmi.

In this session, titled "Feminine Encounters: Between Text and Performance", eminent theater director and Chairperson of the National School of Drama, Amal Allana, daughter of the father of modern theater in India Ebrahim Alkazi, talks on the emerging trends of text and performance, and theater practices, of women directors in the country.

Amal Allana graduated from the National School of Drama in 1968, majoring in direction. Her further studies in direction were in the Berliner Ensemble, the National Theatre, Weimar, and the State Theatre at Dresden, GDR. Her productions of Brecht's 'The Good Woman of Setzuan', Strindberg's 'Miss Jule' and Wedekind's 'Spring Awakening' received critical acclaim. In 1975, she was awarded the Homi Bhabha Fellowship for her research in traditional Indian and Japanese theater, which led to her visiting Japan and studying Noh and Kabuki theater.

Her productions include 'The Exception and the Rule', 'Hayavadana', 'Birjis Qadar Ka Kunba', 'Ashadh Ka Ek Din', 'Mahabhoj', 'King Lear', 'Himmat Mai' and others. In recent years, her plays have focused on women's themes, in works like 'Char Chaughi', 'Sonata', 'Erendira' and 'Nati Binodini'. She is also popular for her television serials like 'Raj Se Swaraj' and 'Mulla Nasruddin'. She is a recipient of the Sangeet Natak Akademi award.

The Qadir Ali Baig Theatre Foundation was founded by Mohammed Ali Baig, an advertising wizard, in memory of his father Quadir Ali Baig, who was a doyen of Hindustani theater. It was established in an attempt at revival of theater, which had lost its sheen. The foundation has on board danseuse Vani Ganapathi, artistes Rohini Hattangadi, Suhasini Mani Ratnam and Urmila Matondkar, lyricist Javed Akhtar and director M S Sathyu.

Her hour-long talk will be followed by a question answer session. The entry is by limited passes, available at the venue till the day of the performance. Please contact 98490-66522 or theatrefoundation@cineworksindia.com for further details.