KOCHI: It was an electrifying blend of cultures and traditions. The stage in Changampuzha Park came alive with tales from beyond the seas — from the ancient land of Egypt ruled by the beautiful Queen Cleopatra and the farmer girl Egle from Lithuania — seamlessly merging with Kerala’s ancient art of Sarpam Pattu.
The theatre performance, Egle and Cleopatra (Aleyum Cleopatrayum) takes audiences on a visceral journey from the banks of the Niles to the Lithuanian seashores. What added to the intrigue was the solo show, with immersive storytelling that blended the Sarpam pattu with Western folklore.
Artist Arya M K seamlessly transitioned between the fierce Cleopatra and the tender, innocent Egle, a farmer’s daughter on stage. Her snake-like movements, emotionally charged dialogues, and evocative expressions breathed life into the characters. As she was taking on serpentine features amid the intricate Sarpakalam, two artists engaged in live painting, adding to the fantastical narrative and showcasing the transformative power of art on different emotional landscapes.
Both stories delve into the arrogance of lost love. One portrays Cleopatra, who chose dignity over defeat, ending her life with snake venom upon hearing of her beloved’s death. The other tells the saga of Egle, who transforms herself into a tree alongside her children upon losing her serpent husband. Two stories powerfully depict love’s resilience and the dignity of women in the face of despair.
The performance unfolded in six non-linear acts, culminating with Arya destroying the Naga Kallam (serpent altar) at the centre of the stage—symbolically dismantling the character she had meticulously built.
Despite the open auditorium’s occasional traffic noise intrusione, Salim Nair’s post-modern fusion of Indian and Western music, ‘Elegy of Two Queens’, created an ethereal atmosphere.
“You can feel the story by closing your eyes and just listening to Salim’s music,” remarked Dr Chandradasan, the scriptwriter and director of the drama.
The story originated in Chandradasan’s brain way back in 2013 with a Lithuanian performer after he stumbled upon Egle’s tale at an airport. Drawing parallels between Cleopatra’s snake-bite death and Egle’s life with a serpent husband, he wove the two narratives together. After a second performance a decade ago, the current rendition added layers of music and live art, reflecting his dedication to refining his craft.
Chandradasan also made a salient point. “The need for more flexible and accessible performance spaces. The growing interest from young artists demands spaces to create and learn.” He added that the play will be next staged in Pune on December 10.
As I left the venue, some words, scenes and the atmosphere reverberated for a long while, especially two particular dialogues in the show:
“If I am alive, the sea shall foam as milk. If I am dead, the sea shall foam blood.” (Egle, the Serpent Queen)
“Love is the most delicious poison.” (taken from Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra)