The Baisakhi Theatre Festival will see plays by students of Punjab Engineering College,NSD and Theatre Age The stage is set for a new phase,replete with drama and action. What began as a 20-day workshop for theatre buffs of the Punjab Engineering College (PEC) has translated into a five-day extravaganza Theatre For Theatres (TFT) Baisakhi Theatre Festival. A brainchild of TFTs Sudesh Sharma,it is the third theatre festival being organised by the group this year. Children from Theatre Age,a non-governmental organisation,and students from the National School of Drama (NSD) Delhi will also be a part of the festival. The idea,explains Sharma,was to encourage students who were part of the workshop to translate what they had learnt into something visible. You need to take learning further and develop a passion for it. These 50 students were asked to take care of all aspects of a play,of course,with our guidance,and the effort resulted in varied approaches and sensibilities. Acting,body movement,speech,improvisation the workshop was all-encompassing and we harbour similar hopes for festival, says Sharma. The choice of plays is also eclectic,including Charan Das Chor,7 Idiots Journey to Freedom,Court Martial,Kaho Ripudaman,Gadhey Ki Barat and Tarikh Pe Tarikh. The last-mentioned,written by Harshit and Meena,draws on the Ruchika Girhotra molestation case to shed light on the tribulations faced by the common man. 7 Idiots Journey to Freedom will be presented by NSD students. Sushant,director of Court Martial,is overwhelmed by the moment. We have a theatre club at PEC,but thanks to Sharma,we have the opportunity and guidance to do something that is real and fascinating. It has been a terrific experience,though I dont think I deserve as yet to be called the director, he says. Rehearsals are a frenzied affair,he adds,as the students can spare only two hours every evening for the festival. All the 50 students who were part of the workshop are contributing to the festival,with Karan Preet and Sania Nagpal doing a musical production,involving both vocals and instruments. Manu Bajaj,a fourth-year student,is soaking in all the professional guidance available,as he looks forward to taking up theatre full-time later in life. Theatre is going to be an integral part of my being and I hope to create a balance between my work and my passion. Zulfikar Khan of Theatre Age will direct Charan Das Chor and is happy that children from his NGO will be involved in a mainstream festival and get exposed to a wide spectrum of works. The festival is on till April 14 at Punjab Kala Bhawan,Sector 16,7 pm onwards.
