Prakasam’s 12th production Avalavanu Avanavalu dwells on different dimensions of the relationship between a woman and man at different stages in life. The ashram system states there are four basic stages to perform karma before attaining Moksha, namely Bhramacharya (youth), Grihasta (household), Vanaprashta (retirement) and Sanyasa (renunciation). Avalavanu Avanavalu represents each ashram with a couple who recite select Kannada poems to define experiences of that ashram.
There have been umpteen attempts at looking at the relationships between the sexes on stage. This play l addresses the same theme using dramatised poems on friendship, love, romance, death, future and lifestyle.
Avalu (the woman) is serious, sensible and her trigger poems have been penned by Chetana Thirthahalli, a prolific writer and journalist.
Avanu (the man) is comic, gabby and his counter poems by PD Sathish Chandra are mostly inspired from what Chetana wrote. Chandra is director, Kala Soudha and runs a young performing arts team called Prakasam.
Play director and co-author P D Sathish Chandra says, “What started as a fun review of serious poems finally took the form of a play. Its effect and simplicity will be the USP of the production. With no production expense and liquid form/design, it is easy to stage at any given point of time. The basic objective is to narrate the known through an unknown, unconventional and unexplored medium. Similar to rehearsed readings or Oodu Kathe formats.”
Chetana Theerthahalli says, “When I first read the counter poem from Sathish talking about confidence and self pity, I was pleasantly surprised at the way he looked at the problem stated in the poem. What you can’t say in pages of prose can be said in few lines of poetry. With the audio visuals and theatrical enactments, I am sure our production will enthuse the audiences. Where I have picked on the tough realities of life in my trigger poems, Sathish’s realistic and practical counter poems will surely give the audience a unique perspective to life.”
There will be four couples (avanu and avalu) on stage reading and enacting the poems. The 70-minute performance, includes compositions by music director Apoorva Vishweshwar.
Avalavanu Avanavalu is to stage its premiere show om October 20 at K H Kala Soudha, Ramanjaneya Temple Compound, Hanumantha Nagar. The cast includes Raji Achar, Rajashri, Chetana Thirthahalli, Deepa Girish, Chandan Shankar, Monish Nagaraj, Sharath Parvatavani and Raghavendra Gudi.