BENGALURU: Chock-a-block traffic and inconvenient timings are the reasons that people cite often for missing stage performances. But this allnighter play, which will be staged under the night sky, is an attempt to change that and more, including giving Bengalureans a rare chance to watch a book-turned-play. Beginning on Monday, C Basavalingaiah’s directorial Malegalalli Madumagalu will bring alive the 200-year-old story of beauty, romance and tragedy written by celebrated playwright- poet Kuvempu. While it’s often considered a mustread novel in Kannada literature,
Basavalingaiah feels that Kannada icons are slowly fading. “We want the future generations to be aware of our rich literature. While Shakespeare and Henrik Ibsen’s works are known to one and all, it’s important to also know the work of local playwrights,” says the 59-year-old director, adding this is the last time the play will be staged in Bengaluru. The play, the title of which translates into ‘the bride in the mountains’, looks into the social and economic conditions that prevailed in the late 19th century Malenadu. The story revolves around several characters in the then prevailing feudal system. The narrative travels over multiple locations and focuses on the stories of Heggades/Gowdas (the landlords) and their slaves belonging to different castes.
“The seeds of the play were sown in 2010 when renowned Kannada playwright Dr K Y Narayanaswamy took upon himself the task of adapting Kuvempu’s epic to the stage. The challenge was to create uniform narratives from Kuvempu’s non-linear narrative style. The effort resulted in a nine-hour play with 36 songs,” Basavalingaiah says, adding after the play, the 800-page book has seen a sale of over 20,000 copies. “Now, an English version is coming out,” says the director of National School of Drama Bengaluru Centre. While the cast comprises 75 members from all the South Indian states, and includes the students of NSD Bengaluru, a total of 125 people have worked on it. With four stages,
the audience will be required to change places every two hours. The first edition of the play, staged in April-May 2010, saw a viewership of 15,000, and went on to become a landmark of sorts in the theatre space. “This is our fifth edition, and on February 14, we will be staging the 100th show, for which we plan to invite the CM,” says Basavalingaiah. The play will be performed from Jan 20 to February 29, at Kalagrama premises, behind Bangalore University’s Jnanabharati Campus, from 8.30pm to 6am.