Pune makes its presence felt at national youth theatre festival

PUNE: Six plays, six platform performances, seven fringe performances including film screening and play readings, 15 workshops and four live music acts - that in short is what Thespo has in store for you this year.The highlight of the festival this year is three acts from Pune.In its 16th outing, the festival is being hosted at Prithvi Theatre and Sitara Studio in Mumbai. It is all set to give budding creative minds a platform to hone their talent. The annual drama festival this year is taking place from December 15-21 and is centered on the theme 'Plug-In to the Tamasha'. Says Quasar Thakore Padamsee, artistic director, Thespo, "The festival is largely a youth-centric event. Initiated in 1999, it is our aim to give a platform to artistes under the age of 25."Talking about Pune's participation, Padamsee says, "Since the last five years there has been a lot of participation from Pune. Other than the three acts chosen this year, we also have an Indo-Brit collaboration with two artistes from UK and Pooja Apte from Pune." The three acts that will make their debut at the Thespo this year include: Castle of Glass, a play directed by Parag Bapat and written by Sujay Jadhav. It is a delicately intense tale of Kumar Devdhar, an artist who believes he is eternally trapped in a mental institution unless someone else takes his place.Says Bapat, "It has been a dream to perform at the Thespo. We developed this play with eye on the festival. It is a Marathi literary play produced by our group 'Shabdagandhar' and presented by Ceartive Productions."The second play at the festival is Happy Endings, directed by Jayesh Newgi and written by Dhananjay Mhasawade. It shows that every incident in our lives does not turn out as we want it to. We have to accept the end that the situation puts before us. In the play when things go awry, the protagonist takes matters in his own hands, literally, to ensure he gets his happy ending. Newgi says, "This Marathi play is all imagination v/s the real world as experienced by the young protagonist. I feel accomplished to be part of the festival with our group Shodh Kalamandal." Besides, Pune will see another participation, a musical one, in the form of Meera Shenoy. She is influenced by the likes of the Beatles, Bee Gees, B B King. Shenoy has become a known face in the college music circuit in the last two years. She has performed with Agnee and composed music for an English play titled 'Nero Fiddled'.Says Shenoy, "It feels so wonderful to be part of the festival. Music is an essential part of my existence. If I don't have anything to listen to I get depressed."As many as 186 plays from across the country have registered for the Thespo this year, says Padamsee, adding that this for the first time that the festival has made its presence felt globally, with two plays from Canada and Sri Lanka being a part of it."Besides, we will have countless workshops, training sessions by stalwarts and legends in the field. The young talent at the festival will have access to all kinds of theatre-based programmes that will help them learn and grow," says Padamsee. The jury includes journalist Saumya Ancheri, actors Joy Sengupta and Kumud Mishra and playwright and director Sandesh Kulkarni.