Dramatic Salute

When the second Atelier Youth Theatre Week flags off on Monday, it will be with a tribute to an unsung hero.

When the second Atelier Youth Theatre Week flags off on Monday, it will be with a tribute to an unsung hero.

Theatreperson Atamjit Singh will present a dramatic reading of his play Mungu Comrade — a story of Makhan Singh who fought for the freedom of Kenya and was imprisoned for 17 years. “Most people fight only their own battles. Makhan, probably the only Punjabi among his Kenyan comrades, fought for a people who weren’t his countrymen,” says Kuljeet Singh, festival director.

The play captures the “unadulterated idealism of a fierce freedom fighter”. “When I first heard of the play, I knew it had to be a part of the theatre festival. A stirring human saga, it will inspire the young audience and budding dramatists who AYTW targets,” says Kuljeet Singh. The event, he adds, will also allow youngsters to interact with Atamjit Singh, an eminent playwright who has won a host of awards.

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The five-day festival, partnered by The Indian Express, focuses on showcasing productions by campus groups, and Tuesday to Thursday will see 12 plays by them. Some of the participating colleges are Khalsa College, Venkateswara College, Hansraj College, Hindu College, St Stephen’s College, SRCC, Shivaji College, Miranda House, KMC and Maitreyi College. City troupe The Actor Factor Theatre Company will present its popular play The Indian Wants the Bronx. The festival ends with a talk on “Theatre: Practice and Career” by Sunit Sinha of The Actor Factor company.

The dramatic reading will be held today at Delhi College of Arts and Commerce, Netaji Nagar, at 10 am.

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