Bengaluru schoolkids steal the show with high-octane theatre performances

Bengaluru: If anyone thought theatre is dying, they ought to have been at the Times NIE playfest, the inter-school theatre competition, held in association with Greenwood High, Bannnerghatta, at their sprawling, green campus. The 12 finalists from NIE schools across Bengaluru not only proved theatre is thriving, but also that schools are nurturing talent, exploring new dimensions in scripts, honing acting and writing skills. With two categories, originals and adaptations, the 12 plays, selected from 72 performances in the preliminary round, explored themes such as family ties, trauma, toxicity, marriage and relationships, inclusivity, Shakespeare, fear of math, and exam pressure.In the play ‘Clownspeare', a group of clowns, former stars of a defunct circus, agree to perform Shakespeare's ‘Hamlet' in desperation. However, their lack of familiarity with Shakespeare's work leads to chaos as they mix up elements from Cinderella and Snow White with Hamlet. As the director arrives late, the clowns rush to set up the stage, making it for a hilarious performance. The play by Greenwood High, Bannnerghatta, won the first place.The mesmerising journey of self-realisation came alive in the play ‘Hakuna Matata', an adaptation of an excerpt from The Lion King. The play had three of the actors singing live. The performance by the young actors from Shishya Jigyasa School won a second prize, apart from prizes for best costume design & makeup and best supporting actor female.The third prize went to MES Kishore Kendra, for their original play ‘The exam pressure cooker', written and directed by a class IX student of the school. Dealing with pressures of school and exams, the play ended on a positive note that reiterated though life includes bunch of problems, one has the ability to solve and overcome the issue.The judges, founder and artistic director of Vyoma Artspace and Studio Theatre, Rajashree SR and artistic director at Jagriti and co-founder at Okapi, Rebecca Spurgeon said memorable performances and enthusiastic participation by teams give them hope and confidence that theatre is in safe hands and the legacy of the stage will live on. Among the dignitaries present on the occasion were managing trustee of Greenwood High, Manas Mehrotra, principal of Greenwood High - Sarjapur campus, Louis Lopez, and principal of Greenwood – IB campus Bannerghatta, Madan M Mohan, apart from teachers and students of the host school. Quotes (with photos of the two people)Hosting and watching a theatre fest with the Times NIE was an exhilarating experience, filled with captivating performances and creative storytelling. The energy of the performers was electric, making it a truly unforgettable event. The festival was a celebration of art, creativity, and human expression. Special thanks to the management of Greenwood High--- Susan Roy Thomas, dean, Greenwood High, BannerghattaThe Times NIE Playfest hosted at Bannerghatta campus was an outstanding success. The students from all the schools performed with enthusiasm and zest. The talent, whether it was actors, singers or dancers, was outstanding. They entered with gusto and left with elan. We would like to thank various school teams and Times of India team for supporting this programme and giving children this opportunity to perform--- Louis Dias, principal, Greenwood High, Bannerghatta