Sixth edition of Aditya Birla Group’s theatre initiative 'Aadyam' gets digital makeover
In the past six months, as the world struggled to maintain its equilibrium, the arts gathered force to ensure comfort. It has resulted in the fraternity navigating the World Wide Web. The recent to join the bandwagon is Aditya Birla Group’s theatre initiative—Aadyam—which in its sixth edition has donned a digital avatar. Shorn of live entertainment, virtual has become the new calling card for artists of all hue. Quick-response plays, dramatised video calls, interactive Zoom plays and monologues became a way of life. As we continue to sit in front of our screens, the theatre community has reached out with its recent pledge to Save Our Stage (SOS).
Three plays from Aadyam’s repertoire built over the past five years—Aarambh Mumbai’s Bandish 20-20,000 Hz (Hindi) directed by Purva Naresh, Cinematograph’s I Don’t Like It, As You Like It (English) directed by Rajat Kapoor and AK Various Productions’ The Hound of the Baskervilles (English) directed by Akash Khurana—will stream on Paytm Insider’s interactive platform from the first week of October. Bandish 20-20,000 Hz is the story of a nautanki singer and a baithak singer reliving the days of glory.
Interwoven with witty anecdotes of grand escapes, taking on British officers, getting kidnapped by the local zamindars, to refuting lovelorn nawabs and getting duped by charming and conniving men, the plot has it all. Adapted by Steven Canny and John Nicholson, The Hound of the Baskervilles is a comic romp, parodying Sherlock Holmes’ spine-chilling mystery with a twist in the tale. I Don’t Like It, As You Like It deals with the highs and lows faced by a circus troupe, highlighting the fact that one must become the other in order to find oneself.
Talking about the choice of the three plays, Aadyam’s Artistic Director Shernaz Patel says, “We wanted a mix of genres and styles, a mix of languages and we wanted plays that would translate well to the digital medium, and therefore be exciting and entertaining to watch.” As is expected from Aadyam, each of the plays will be slickly shot in an auditorium with a multi-camera setup and high-production standards. Patel adds that the team is excited to be able to reach audience pockets that it has never managed to before. But she is also wary of the many challenges. After all, the stage and the screen are vastly different mediums. Also, she believes that the viewing experience changes as the audience is dependent on what the camera chooses to show.
Nothing can, of course, replace live theatre, but the community knows that adapting to the circumstances is of the utmost essence today. “It is intended to be as near to a live experience as possible. I’m looking forward to the response,” says Khurana. But creating online work from scratch and streaming it on YouTube or Zoom has brought out invention and resourcefulness of the form, believe many artists. Vivek Madan, who stars in Khurana’s play, says, “It’s exciting and strange at the same time. This is a first for me and I will be keen to see how the audience reacts.” With IGTV and Facebook Live becoming the preferred format today, the stage has truly gone global, catering to patrons in places earlier not thought reachable.
To keep the entertainment quotient high, besides pre-show activities, there will be live polling and mini quizzes conducted during the performances. Aadyam Spotlight members will also get a backstage pass for a virtual meet-and-greet with the director and artists. This year, Patel is also editing a unique theatre blog called Theatre Ink. The platform, she says, is a sort of hub for the theatre community. Featuring original content written and presented by theatre practitioners and reputed writers from across the country, the community platform will feature interviews, insights, articles, advice, tips, news, behind the scenes snippets and other engaging and enriching content for both theatre practitioners as well as enthusiasts.
When & Where
Single viewer tickets will be priced at Rs 399. One can also choose to purchase a family viewing ticket at Rs 599. The three plays are streaming on Paytm Insider’s interactive platform.