Lending rustic touch

Our Correspondent
Chandigarh, October 11

The four-day Punjabi Theatre Festival, organised by the Chandigarh Sangeet Natak Akademi,  concluded with the staging of the play, “Chann Badlan Da”, by Tamasha Group, New Delhi, at Tagore Theatre today. Over 35 actors, including 20 women artistes, all singers, dancers and musicians, played diverse roles in  the opera under the direction of Madan Bala Sindhu.

Sans a conventional storyline, it was constructed with   narratives and folk songs in the undivided Punjab. The play was  a tribute to legendary Punjabi playwright and actor Sheila Bhatia by her protege Madan Bala Sindhu. The actors and musicians successfully presented the soul of the pastoral culture on the stage with folk songs. The legends of Heer-Ranjha, Mirza-Sahiban and Sohni-Mahiwal were aptly used, all in old musical traditions on the verge of extinction. Scenes of social functions such as weddings and village fairs were part of the show.