A Magical Night in Paris

What happens when a woman in search of herself finds a lot more?

INDIRANAGAR:One of the most wonderful things about Bengaluru is the variety of options it offers in answer to the question, “What do I do today?” Tonight, one possible answer is, “Go see a cabaret performance,” because  for probably the first time in the city, The Humming Tree is hosting a curious little 45-minute play that channels the fervour and colour- ful energy of the cabaret.

One Night in Paris is about a middle-aged lady,  a 'Bengaluru Aunty' who goes to Paris to visit Jim Morrison’s grave and ends up having herself quite an adventure, involving a janitor and a complete stranger… all in a graveyard.

It promises to be an interesting performance, as cabaret is one style of theatre hitherto relatively unexplored in the current theatre scene. Described as “glitzy, flighty, and a little mad,” the style still lends itself to deeper meaning and can be used to say serious things.

Acting in this piece is Kirtana Kumar, an experienced and respected actor, singer, director, and filmmaker, who is also the playwright in this instance.

She has more than 25 year’s worth of experience in theatre, and is also well established in the field of documentary filmmaking. Her performance tonight will have lightheartedness but with a subtext of something profound. It is about  a search for understanding oneself and giving in to the desire for adventure.  The show is presented by The Sandbox Initiative, an arts collective that aims to expand the scope of the arts and has completed more than 150 shows in auditoria as well as alternative spaces in under two years.

Nimi Ravindram of Sandbox Collective says, “Is cabaret, entertainment?  Like at the Moulin Rouge? The answer is yes and no. Yes, because the look is over the top but the cabaret has also been a very powerful art in countries like Germany during the second World War. I think, Kirtana’s piece is a good mix of the two. The journey of a woman in search of adventure and her flight to freedom.  And then there’s Jim Morrison."

Says Kirtana, “It  started when I went to visit Jim Morrison’s grave with my daughter..That’s when the idea was born, a well-heeled Bengalurean in Paris, in search of Jim Morrison’s grave.  That’s One Night in Paris.. "  The show will  begin tonight at 8:30 pm at The Humming Tree in Indiranagar.  Tickets are  priced at Rs 250.

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