Talespin

There's something about theatre which makes stories tell a different tale every time they are staged.

<>IYPS students give a new twist to Ruskin Bond8217;s 8216;The Blue Umbrella8217;

There8217;s something about theatre which makes stories tell a different tale every time they are staged. All the more so when they are enacted through a vision of a 10-year-old. In Ruskin Bond8217;s 8216;The Blue Umbrella8217; due to be staged by 136 students of YPS on September 24, the story gets an innocent touch. Comprising two dance sequences and five songs, 8220;the dance has been choreographed by Renu Panth and the songs have been written by Headmistress Komal Anand,8221; director of the play Zubin Metha tell us as he makes us meet his core actors 8211;Tushar, with his naught eyes plays the part of Raja Ram; Jansher, with intellectual spectacles sets into the role of Ram Bharose and Hargun, the shy girls, dramatizes the lead character Binya.

Planned every year after the summer break, this is the fourth play by the junior school after Tinder Box, Christmas Carol and Charandas Chor. 8220;But this is the most versatile class so far,8221; Zubin says after the first 15 days of grooming classes he was spoilt for choice. 8220;I had to add extra lines to the roles because of the acting of students. Divjot has been given six addition lines to speak,8221; chirps Zubin, who along with Inderjeet Grewal has written the script.

With students taught expression though the medium of theatre, be it in acting, dancing or singing, the beauty of the play is that it8217;s an Indian play with a western touch. For instance the set up is that of an Indian village and the music instruments used are violin, guitar and synthesizer. The story captures the splendour of a village in the Himalayas and displays wit, sensitivity and a deep empathy with the people of the hills. The protagonist Binya is so enchanted with a blue silk umbrella that she trades her lucky tiger claw for it with a city woman. From that moment she becomes the object of envy and admiration of the entire village, especially of Ram Bharose, a cunning tea shop owner. So obsessed is he to have the umbrella that he even plots to steal it. But to know what happens next, watch the play and have Prabsimran, Krishna, Shobneek, Avantika, Anant and Srijan narrate the story to you. Don8217;t be late, the show starts at 6:30 pm at The Moti Ram Arya Auditorium, Sector 27-A on September 24!