Taramandal - English Play By The Tadpole Repertory: Events in Hyderabad

REVIEW FOR TARAMANDAL - ENGLISH PLAY...

The Hindu is organising the 6th edition of The Hindu Metro Plus Theatre Fest from 15th to 18th December at the Ravindra Bharathi auditorium. A total of 4 plays will be staged everyday at 7:30 pm during the four-day festival. As part of this fest, Taramandal will be staged on the second day.

Taramandal is based on Satyajit Ray's short story, 'Patol Babu, Film Star', which speaks about a chance opportunity to fulfil a lifelong dream. Patol Babu is 50 or so, and has led a decidedly unglamorous life. His one passion, acting, has never really amounted to anything. One day, the possibility of a part in a film opens up. Despite it being a walk-on role of a pedestrian, Patol embraces the opportunity.

The play extends this little story by constructing parallel narratives that set up and mirror Patol Babu - in younger versions of himself - and people like him. All these stories of failed ambitions culminate in his one single walk on opportunity.

'Taramandal' won The Metroplus Playwright Award 2010, which is awarded every year to the best unpublished play script in English. The playwright conducted several interviews with theatre actors, background artists, bit part-players in Mumbai film industry, television personalities and casting agents. This research went into a 6-week period of workshops and improvisations with the cast of 'Taramandal'. The final play is stitched from these experiences. It is not a sad story, but one rife with melancholy, and the absurd humours that follow that most irrepressible human trait - ambition.

The play is in English with a smattering of Hindi and Bengali. Written and directed by Neel Chaudhuri, it is being staged by the Tadpole Repertory from New Delhi, and is of 110 minutes in duration.

Started in 2005, The Hindu Metro Plus Theatre Fest is one of the most eagerly awaited theatre events every year. It starts in Chennai, and moves to other south-Indian cities. This year, it kickstarted in Chennai on 8th August with 8 plays staged over 7 days, followed by Hyderabad, Bangalore and Coimbatore.

Entry is by daily passes of Rs. 500, Rs. 300 and Rs. 200. Student passes cost Rs. 100 per head, but entry is permitted only on production of college ID cards. Season passes of Rs. 1,500 and Rs. 900 are also available, which are valid for all the 4 days. These passes can be obtained at the Hindu office in Begumpet.

Please contact the venue at 2323-3672 for further details.