If last year,the secret judges of the Short and Sweet Theatre Festival in Delhi were William Dalrymple and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra,who will it be this time? Thats just one of the reasons theres a buzz about this 10-minute theatre festival,named Short and Sweet Theatre Festival. Purists,of course,are repeating last years question is 10 minutes enough for a play? Festival director Alex Borun says,Having been a 10-minute playwright myself for quite a while,I believe that the best plays are the 10-minute ones. From funny to spooky to romantic,you will be entertained and even if you do get bored,itll only be for 10 minutes. This years performers include individuals,independent theatre groups and campus enthusiasts. While Food of Baby Butterflies by Australian Jessica Langley explores the serious themes of contemporary sexuality and gender bias,Delhi-based filmmaker,Prashant Sehgals Pride and Prejudice in Ten Minutes Flat is spoof on the classic by Jane Austen. Short and Sweet is what got me into theatre; its a fantastic platform for newcomers, says Sehgal. Winner of last years Best Original Script Award,Deepak Dhamija is ready with his new Hindi-Punjabi play,Kutte,a story about a woman and her relationship with street dogs. Ten-minute theatre offers great variety in terms of plays,and thats where its strength lies, he says. Michael Wood,the festival producer,describes this as the 20/20 of theatre,before narrating how the Short and Sweet trend began in Sydney in 2002 and traveled around Australia,Singapore and Malaysia before arriving in India. After visiting Chennai and Mumbai this year,the festival opened in the Capital on Wednesday at Epicenter where 10 plays were staged. The Short and Sweet Theatre Festival will be held at ICCR today and at India Habitat Centre from November 22-24. Contact: 098180049487
