Under the Archlights

This year’s festival will feature five productions,four directed by Dhaliwal and one by Partha Banerjee. The festival will open with Banerjee’s Othello. The reason for opening with Shakespeare’s tragedy,adds the director,was simple. “It’s a play that’s replete with exquisite poetry,rich imagery,with every scene relevant to the central issues,with an intellectual beauty that’s incomparable,something like the character of Desdemona,’’ says Dhaliwal.

Punjabi playwright SN Sewak’s play titled Kabir will bring out the rational philosophy of the Indian saint,who fought to get rid of a society of superstition,caste prejudices,false ego,blind faith and illogical behaviour. The play,adds Dhaliwal,strives to touch the common man’s inner chord. “Various theatrical devices have been used to highlight the teachings of Kabir,which are more relevant today than ever before,’’ says Dhaliwal.

Ruke Hoye Yatharth (Frozen Realities) by Canadian Punjabi writer Ravinder Ravi was written as a curtain raiser for a main play,and later developed as a full-fledged play. The play,which will be staged at the festival,focuses on modern man,who is in a state of indecision and still at a crossroads. Time,reality,logic,action seem to have frozen his existence. The message of global consciousness and the need to arm ourselves with meaningful,radical ideology are the cores of the play.

Adhi Raat Dupehar (Noon at Midnight) is a play in verse. In this production,the playwright Ravi has projected the universal character of the rebel spirit that empowers human beings to be optimistic and realistic at the same time. It also talks of the search of identity and considering it a constant endeavour. On the last day of the festival,Dhaliwal will experiment with five stories on stage and give them his signature touch to weave the varied themes to create a dramatic effect.

The plays are on from July 2-5,at 6.30 pm at Virsa Vihar