MYSURU: It is a magnum opus to match the magnum opus. Theatre repertoire Rangayana is staging a seven-and-a-half-hour play on renowned writer SL Bhyrappa’s tome Parva at Kalamandira on Friday.
The play, directed by theatre personality and actor Prakash Belawadi, will premiere on Friday, followed by two shows on Saturday and Sunday.
Rangayana director Addanda Cariappa was happy that the elaborate theatre production was possible in just six months. “At a time when theatre activities came to a standstill across the country because of Covid-induced lockdown, we took up the reading of Bhyrappa’s ‘Parva’ and decided to bring it from page to stage. Prakash Belwadi and team adapted it to play and came out with the final draft which was approved by Bhyrappa,” he said.
The play will see four intervals -- three tea breaks and one lunch break. It will be staged for three days in a row and Rangayna also plans to hold a marathon performance from March 25 to May 30.“Already, 70 per cent of the tickets for the first three shows on March 12, 13 and 14 have been booked.
As the demand is high and theatre buffs from across the state are expected to come to watch it, we are staging the play in three episodes of two-and-a-half hours each -- ‘Aadi Parva’, ‘Niyoga Parva’ and ‘Yuddha Parva’. It will be staged on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from March 25 at Bhoomigeetha. Those willing to watch the play in one stretch can attend the megashow every Sunday from March 25 to May 30,” he said.
The ticket is priced at Rs 250 for the full show and Rs 100 per episode for those who want to see it in three sections.On complaints that the tickets are priced high, Cariappa said, “We have only Rs 500 and Rs 250 tickets for the first three shows. Rs 1,000 tickets are not sold to the public, but have been booked by the SL Bhyrappa Prathistana for the first two rows for their guests. The money will be contributed to Rangayana.”
Twenty-five artistes, including 12 senior performers from Rangayana, and over 10 technicians are involved in the play, said Belawadi. The subtitles for dialogues will run on a screen fixed on the stage to make non-Kannadigas understand the play.