UP, Haryana groups enthral audience at theatre festival

Patiala, November 23

Theatre groups from Uttar Pradesh and Haryana enthralled the audience at the Late Pritam Singh Oberai Memorial 15-day National Theatre Festival, which is in progress at Bhasha Vibhag’s Open Air Theatre here. The festival is being organised by Sarbat Da Bhala Charitable Trust, Kala Kriti and Natraj Arts Theatre, in collaboration with North Zone Cultural Centre at Kalidasa Auditorium, Virsa Vihar Kendra, near Bhasha Bhawan, Patiala.

The day’s first presentation, ‘Andher Nagri’ by Saptak Cultural Society (Rohtak, Haryana), followed the fortunes of the residents of a kingdom where the foolish and intelligent are considered equal. All goods in the kingdom are available at a price, whether it is gold or straw. The king Chopat himself is far from wise. When a woman’s goat gets buried under a wall and dies, the king orders the execution of the owner of the wall, plus the artisans, beggars, butchers, shepherds and royal policeman, but every one of them escapes. He then orders a man to be hanged just because the noose fits around his neck. In the end, this man and his Guru force the king to be hanged and the kingdom is rid of him.

The second play, ‘Park’, was staged by Natya Vaastu Sanskritik Evam Samajik Sanstha, Kanpur (UP). Written by Manav Kaul, it was directed by Parveen Kumar Arora. In the play, the casteist mentality of certain sections was satirised.

Parminder Pal Kaur, Director of Kala Kriti, Patiala, and Gopal Sharma, Director of Natraj Arts Theatre, appreciated the efforts of artistes and organisers of the event. The artistes were honoured by the organisers with gold medals and certificates.