Our Productions
Odakalu Bimba
(Premiered on 22/3/2005)
Language: Kannada
Playwright: Girish Karnad
Director: Girish Karnad and KM Chaitanya
Manjula Nayak is not a very successful Kannada short-story writer. She attains sudden wealth and international fame after writing a best-seller in English. The question that haunts Manjula is whether by opting for a global audience, she has betrayed her own language and identity. She now faces issues of loyalty and betrayal. And, without warning, it is her own image that decides to play confessor, psychologist and inquisitor.
The play explores the dilemma that is faced by Indian writers who choose to write in English, and is a scathing look at the Indian literary establishment as well as a moving story of conflict and the desire for fame. It is also one of the first plays that straddled the world of theatre and technology in Indian theatre.
A Heap of Broken Images
(Premiered on 25/3/2005)
Language: English
Playwright: Girish Karnad
Director: Girish Karnad
Bikhre Bimb
(Premiered on 20/01/2006)Language: Hindi
Playwright: Girish Karnad
Director: Girish Karnad and KM Chaitanya
(Hindi translation of Odakalu Bimba)
Flowers
(Premiered on 08/10/2006)
Language: English
Playwright: Girish Karnad
Director: Roysten Abel
Girish Karnad’s new play is a dramatic monologue about a devoted and pious priest who violates both his dharma and his bhakti because of his love for a courtesan. Torn between his love for his God and his love for Chandravati, between his duty to the king and his duty to his wife, the priest tells the story of his life after matters have come to a head and all his loves and duties collide on a single night. Once again, Karnad takes a folk tale about the human condition and refreshes it with a contemporary sensibility that embraces love, loyalty and honor.
Produced by Ranga Shankara and RAGE
Gumma Banda Gumma
(Premiered on 12/12/2006)
Language: Kannada
Playwright: S. Surendranath
Director: Vibhawari Deshpande
"Gumma Banda Gumma" (Kannada, 90 mins) is for children 5 years and above, and parents and grandparents! An eternal entertainer with children and parents that brings their life unfolding on stage! 'Gumma Banda Gumma' an adaptation of the original German play, Max Und Milli. [Max and Milli] is a five character play performed in the tradition of GRIPS Theatre.
The play focuses on the ability of a child to communicate and bond with another regardless of all the barriers adults create. It is about unconditional friendship, sibling love and rivalry, parent child relationships and how all of these can be quite full of fun and happiness.
First Leaf
(Premiered on 27/11/2007)
Language: English
Playwright: Shrirang Godbole
Director/Translator: Padmavati RaoSynopsis:
“The First Leaf” tells the inspiring story of Putti, her brother Dodu and friend Chinna who live in a time of imminent environmental catastrophe, which is as real as today and looms as close as tomorrow. The three young students explore their surroundings through fantasy and fun with the new tenant in their residential complex, who breathes new meaning into all he touches and encounters. The lesson ultimately learnt is one of protecting Planet Earth.
Hakki Harutide Nodidira
(Premiered on 17/07/2009)
Language: Kannada
Playwright: Vijay Tendulkar , Prema Karanth
Director: Manav Kaul
Commenting on the play, eminent critic Shanta Gokhale says the following: “Despite a few markers of 1970, the year in which the play was first staged, "Ashi pakhare yeti" still has universal appeal. Our society is still obsessed with getting daughters married; daughters are still traumatized by the "seeing" experience; the social value of a woman and her self-esteem still depend on whether she finds a man to marry her or not, and finally, the girl must still present herself to the prospective groom's side in a light that matches their values and ideas of beauty. For all these reasons, "Ashi pakhare yeti" speaks to us wittily of who we are. The Kannada translation of the play, directed by Manav Kaul will serve as a test of its universality.”
Anthheen
(Premiered on 24/07/2009)
Language: Hindi
Playwright: Jean-Paul Sartre
Director: Manav Kaul
Ranga Shankara brings yet another new production this month, called ‘Antaheen’. The play is in Hindi and is based on Jean-Paul Sartre’s famous play, “In Camera”/ “Huis Clos”. Based on one of the best of Sartre’s plays, “Antaheen” talks about how hell is not what we imagine it to be but is something that can be self- created and need not be an after -life destination. The play tries to seamlessly remove the distinctions between life and death.
Zapperdockel and the Wock
(Premiered on 06/09/2009)
Language: English
Playwright: Georg Bydlinksi
Director: Wally and Paul Schmidt
Zapperdockel is yellow, tiny, unsure and a crybaby. But that’s the way he is! Wock is blue, fat and grumpy. But that’s the way he is! Is there still a chance that both get along with each other? "The Zapperdockel and the Wock" is the touching story of the beginning of a friendship between two creatures that couldn’t be more different from each other.
Robinson And Crusoe
(Premiered on 03/02/2010)
Language: English
Playwright: Nina D’Intrino Giacomo Ravicchio
Director: Gracias Devaraj
Robinson and Crusoe tells the story of two soldiers from opposing sides stranded on a floating roof after their planes are shot down. Initially wary, they gradually build a bond that transcends their differences. The play highlights the futility of war, the loneliness it imposes, and celebrates the triumph of the human spirit. Filled with comedy, action, and heartfelt moments, it delivers a heartwarming message that friendship conquers all.
The Incredible Mullah Nasruddin
(Premiered on 09/07/2013)
Language: English
Playwright/Director: Pushan Kripalani
The Incredible Mullah Nasruddin" is a play based on the witty tales of Mullah Nasruddin, known as the 'Wisest Fool'. Directed by Pushan Kriplani, the play follows Nasruddin's journey from Arabia to India in search of intelligence. It features improvised performances by five actors and incorporates sand art as a unifying element, highlighting Nasruddin's compelling stories.
Raja Tantra Choo Mantra
(Premiered on 02/07/2013)
Language: Kannada
Playwright/Director: Vinod Ravindran
'Raja Tantra Choo Mantra' explores life's harsh realities alongside inner turmoil. Featuring an evil king, a girl with unique abilities, and a nation's quest for peace, the play reveals that many conflicts are internal. Storytellers use objects and puppets, accompanied by music from toy instruments, blending weighty themes with a lighter touch.
Maryade Prashne
(Premiered on 19/09/2014)
Language: Kannada
Playwright: Lutz Huebener, S. Surendranath
Director: S. Surendranath
The play deals with the concerns of youth and their unmindful rage. Four youths, one jolly road trip and a tragic end! The four of them are entangled in the complex web of love, betrayal, rage and egos and what follows is shocking. Originally written by German playwright, Lutz Hubner, the play delves into reality theatre by traversing through the lives of 4 young, distinct individuals, each from a different socio-cultural background. The play questions society's stereotypes and other delicate nuances like issues of migrants, gender-politics and money-power. As the name suggests, the 90-minute play makes different observations of respect which is central to each character. Produced by Ranga Shankara, in association with Goethe Institut/Max-Mueller Bhavan, Bangalore.
Dweepa
(Premiered on 28/04/2016)
Language: Kannada
Playwright/Director: Abhishek Majumdar
Dweepa, is an original Bangla play, written by Abhishek Majumdar, premiering in Kannada at the Ranga Shankara Theatre Festival. The play is about two people who are blown away in a storm to an island, and have to recreate their entire life on this abandoned piece of land, in the middle of the Arabian Sea. The two characters, other than being displaced, have lost their memory and have to find out what they remember, what they have completely forgotten and what they need to remember to remember here on. Only trouble is that every now and then the storm comes again, and they have to start again.
86000 Sekendugalu
(Premiered on 10/07/2016)
Language: Kannada
Playwright: Martin Baltscheit / S. Surendranath
Director: Aditee Biswas
“Life is never as beautiful as on the first day”. This play celebrates the friendship between a pig, a fox, and a mayfly, highlighting the profound lesson on the importance of time. It underscores that living fully in each moment matters more than the length of one's life. When a mayfly's fleeting existence inspires reflection in a fox and wild boar, their lives are transformed. Join these characters on a poignant journey through life's mysteries, where a single day can encapsulate a rich and meaningful existence.
Beediyolagondu Maneya Maadi
(Premiered on 1/11/2016)
Language: Kannada
Playwright: Champra Deshpande, S. Surendranath
Director: Mohit Takalkar
'Beediyolagondu Maneya Maadi' satirically critiques religious festivals and challenges traditional beliefs in a Pune middle-class, Maharashtrian-Brahmin neighborhood during Ganesh Chaturthi. Shreepad and Sukanya agree to skip celebrating the festival every other year, but their plans are disrupted when Shreepad's aunt and family unexpectedly arrive, eager to witness the procession. The play humorously unfolds as Shreepad tries to maintain his stance against their intrusion while grappling with philosophical reflections and familial pressures. It offers a keen portrayal of middle-class Kannada household dynamics amidst the tensions of conflicting ideologies.
Circle of Life
(Premiered on 07/08/2017)
Language: Non-verbal puppetry
Director: S. Surendranath
From childhood to old age, a human life goes through various stages - physically and emotionally. A child becoming an old man or an old man becoming a child, thus completing the circle of life, is a miracle in life as each stage of life has its own unique gift to give to humanity. Let us remember that at each stage of our life, we are protected and nurtured by nature. We ought to take the same attitude toward nurturing the human life cycle as we do toward saving the environment. Be it a child or a boy or an old man, life at every stage is precious, very very precious.
Fish, Tree, and Moon
(Premiered on 21/12/2017)
Language: English
Playwright/Director: Yosup Bae
"An odd group of creatures, an old fish, a spirited girl, an eager boy, an ascetic and a bare tree, make a long journey to the top of mount Kailash so they can have their wishes granted. But here, on the top of this mountain, the universe has other plans for them. What do they find and how do they find it? Fish Tree Moon is as much about magic and destiny as it is about the heart of pursuit. Masks, puppets, shadow puppets, live music in a smattering of Kannada, Hindi and English bring this motley crew to life as they take on a voyage of friendship, fear, fascination and revelations."
Tsuinn Tapak!!
(Premiered on 14/08/2018)
Language: Non-verbal
Director: Anish Victor
The onomatopoeic title captures the essence of the performance - which is to present children with quick moments that are joyful and thoughtful. Through a blend of sound, rhythm, music, movement, and blasts of 'magic', the performance will invite children to engage with, and learn from, a series of experiences - ranging from the manic to the calm, from din to silence, from the ordinary to the extraordinary. While avoiding the ‘single’ narrative, the performance employs a non-linear structure, made up of short vignettes that transport the child to a world of diverse possibilities. Minimalist in its form, the performance is designed to travel and happen with minimum fuss. In other words, the production has simple props and is not dependent on technical requirements usually associated with performance.
Chippi, the Chipkali
(Premiered on 04/12/2018)
Language: No Language
Dramaturg: S. Surendranath
Director: Gertrude Tröbinger
One day, Chippi, a baby lizard, while playing, is shooed away. People think she is scary and ugly. In the shock, Chippi loses her tail. Everyone starts teasing her, calling her names, as she is tailless now. She feels very sorry for herself and goes into a dark corner, crying. She knows that she has to get a tail. So what does she do to get her tail? Will she ever get her tail back? Will she become beautiful again?
Ahalya B D
(Premiered on 28/02/2019)
Language: Kannada
Playwright: Henirk Ibsen/ S. Surendranath
Director: S. Surendranath
Ahalya B D focuses on the frustrated existence of its title character, exploring core issues of power, control, and social expectation. Bored to death and restricted by her middle-class environment, Ahalya, (daughter of Brigadier late Balakrishna Devadiga, hence, Ahalya B D) plays out her own fantasies and psychological games with those nearest to her to an ultimately costly end.
Old Man and the Sea
(Premiered on 14/07/2019)
Language: Non-verbal puppetry
Based on a novella by Earnest Hemmingway
Director: S. Surendranath
This is the story of an epic struggle between an old, seasoned fisherman and the greatest catch of his life. For 84 days he has returned home empty-handed. On the 85th day he sets out far beyond into the sea and drops his lines. At noon, a big fish, which he calls Mari, takes the bait but the old man cannot pull it in. Instead, the fish begins to pull the boat. For five days the old man struggles with the fish, with sharks and with the sea, to survive and get back home.
Bendakalu on Toast
(Premiered on 02/05/2020)
Language: Kannada
Playwright: Girish Karnad
Director: S. Surendranath
Girish Karnad’s ‘Boiled Beans on Toast’, set in Bangalore, revolves around an intersection of characters both wealthy and poor. It speaks of their individual dreams and ambitions, and the complexities of these relationships through the cruelty they inflict on each other. The title of the play is derived from the legend of Bangalore’s etymology in which an 11th Century king, tired and weary, knocked on the door of a woman who offered him boiled beans. The grateful king named that spot ‘Bendakalooru’, that over the years has become, Bangalore/Bengaluru. The play makes this city its subject – a commentary on its humongous growth over the last few decades and a realistic view of contemporary India.
Ee Gida, Aa Mara
(Premiered on 26/06/2022)
Language: No Language
Director: Sananda Mukhopadyaya
The plant stands still, the Tree too. On the surface, we see silent beings, often solitary. Come a little closer. There are sounds. Come even closer. There are entire worlds. Ee Gida. Ee Gida, Aa Mara translates from Kannada to This Plant, That Tree. The play magnifies the micro environments they house through movement, visuals and sound. The play aims to create an experience for toddlers even before speech has emerged in their life. Creating a world of seeds, leaves and gentle sounds, the play tries to help an infant in collecting experiences that may help it make sense of the world around.
Apne Ghar Jaisa
(Premiered on 06/11/2022)
Language: Hindi
Playwright/Director: Anmol Vellani
A woman is getting ready to welcome an unknown man who has rented a room in her house. She feels uneasy about admitting a stranger into her home. He has an unusual name — a name which leaves her only with questions about him: Who is he? Where is he from? Her fear and aversion of the ‘other’ bubbles to the surface. She lets her imagination run wild and is eventually consumed by a frenzy of rage and violence...when the man arrives, hoping to be welcomed into her home. She was right: there is something unusual about him, something surprising, something, perhaps, eye-opening.
Tila
(Premiered on 08/08/2023)
Language: Kannada/English
Based on a German folk tale
Director: Michael Vogel
Dramaturg: S Surendranath (India); Charlotte Wilde (Germany)
A puppet play for all children above 8 years of age! Based on a number of Indo-German folk tales, the play is about a young trickster TILA, who always thinks he is a grain of TIL (Sesame) cleverer than others. The play, using magical realism, reveals a series of witty, humorous episodes from his life. While making fun of other people around him, it is said that, Tila also holds a mirror to the world. TILA is a Ranga Shankara collaboration with Westflügel and is supported by Goethe institut and international koproduction fund.
Crabbby
