Citygritty 8212; Pune

Canvasing NatureNature in her various moods has provided inspiration to artists from time immemorial. And Govind Dumbre has sought to cap...

Canvasing Nature
Nature in her various moods has provided inspiration to artists from time immemorial. And Govind Dumbre has sought to capture these scenes on canvas using water colours. He has travelled to various picturesque spots, including Goa, the Himalayas and Bhubaneshwar, to get a feel of the place before painting these landscapes on the spot.

Rough choppy seas, the ramparts of a historic fort, a seaside scene, all make up part of the exhibition which has 60 paintings on display. The exhibition, aptly called Nisargraja, will be held at the Balgandharva Kala Dalan from May 5 to 7. It will be inaugurated by Gajanan Kirtikar, minister for surface transport, while artist Dr. Bhaiyasaheb Omkar will be the chief guest.

Dance for a cause
After performing for various functions of the Pune Festival, the Mahima Foundation is putting up its first fund-raising show in aid of the Cancer Patients8217; Aid Association on May 9 at the Nehru Memorial Hall. Choreographed by Jyoti Mansukhani, the show promises to be a dance and music extravaganza.

While the objective of the organisation is to promote Indian dance and culture amongst the younger generation, this time, it has extended its activities to generate funds for a charitable cause. Dancing shoes put on for good work 8211; that8217;s commendable.

Theatre8217;s language
Charitra, the play by noted playwright Diwakar that was recently staged by the local theatre group Jagar, saw director Madhav Vaze combine theatre jargon and practical skills deftly.

The form of the play is novel, juxtaposing readings from Diwakar8217;s writings with the enactment of the issues that so perturbed him. While it is true that using the written word as a theatrical arrangement is crafty work, and has been well-achieved here, its excessive use can sometimes sideline the gravity of the issues, as it did in this instance. The individual pieces do not seem to blend together. Yet solace can be drawn from the fact that this is a challenging dramatisation of one individual8217;s perception of life.

The backdrop of masks with varied emotions sends an explicit message of the dual life we live, torn not only at the conscious and subconscious level, but also in our undertakings with society. There is a clear demarcation of the conflicts with the alter ego, blurring at times and distinctive at others. The slick and effective use of space and flirtations with mime, monologues, dialogues, body language and symbolic gestures liven the written work, with the various moods being highlighted by brilliant lighting. The actors are disciplined and competent, with Dhananjay Gole as Diwakar doing a remarkable job.