BENGALURU: Just as things seemed to be brightening for those in artistic circles, the surge in Covid-19 cases has started to play dampener again. However, Pravara Theatre and Ashvagosha Theatre Trust have started the Bengaluru Short Play Festival (BSPF), in an attempt to keep up the momentum of the last few months, when the scene was picking up.
In its maiden year, six Kannada plays will be staged, with teams fighting it out for the top slot, which comes with a prize of Rs 8,000. Fifteen performances were screened in the first round, of which six have been selected to the finale. “We’ve restricted it only to Kannada so that regional groups also get a chance to showcase their talent,” says Hanu Ramasanjeeva, the artistic director of the festival, who is working on it along with Nandeesh Dev.
With the theme ‘Jeevana Preethi’, troupes are coming up with their own interpretation. “The teams are working on diverse themes, like the love between animals or exploring the bond between a mother and her son, whose arrival she awaits every Deepavali.
It’s interesting to see the various interpretations,” he says.With theatre artistes hit considerably during the last one year, Ramasanjeeva is hoping that attempts like this will give the community a boost. “The groups will have to think on their feet, since we’ve given each only a 15-minute time frame,” he adds. The finale of BSPF 2021 is on March 27, at 6.30 pm, at KEA Prabhath Rangamandira.