NEWS LETTER
Behind the Curtains: OTC Updates
Dear reader,
In the past few months, Our Theatre Collective (OTC) has had the chance to travel to different places with our plays, meet new people, and engage in meaningful interactions. We believe all these experiences are helping us evolve—to learn from the past and succeed in the future. Along this journey of learning and growth, there are many events, both big and small, that we would love to share with you.
We’re using this space to share our updates on a monthly basis, including everything that happened over the past month and the exciting events waiting for you. We appreciate your support in this journey. Welcome to our monthly newsletter, with a new design and approach, because we are growing!
It Is You premiere at Kalakshetra,
Manipur
The 2+ year journey of ideation, deletion, and addition for It Is You, a non-verbal play devised and performed by Vivek Vijayakumaran and Pangambam Tyson Meitei, had its premiere at the prestigious Kalakshetra, Manipur. Opening to a warm audience and a curious, engaged public, the piece was received with open arms and much appreciation. The performance sparked reflections, leading to multiple interpretations, questions, and provocations that filled the space of the iconic theatre.
Supported and appreciated by none other than Ima Sabitri and the courageous theatre workers at Kalakshetra, It Is You is ready for showings across the country and on international platforms. The relevance of this non-verbal piece cannot be limited by any imaginary borders, and that possibility will soon be explored at a performance space near you. We cannot wait to bring it to you!
Vision
Jhund at Serendipity Festival, Goa
Serendipity Out and About is a project of the Serendipity Arts Festival that brings performances, workshops, and other engagements to local communities in Goa. This year, we had the opportunity to take one of our most-performed plays, Jhund, to the festival and reach a wider audience. We had shows from 12th to 15th September at four different venues, and each show was incredibly close to our hearts.
Just Hiss tour
Just Hiss, our play for kids, went on tour all the way to Faridabad, New Delhi, and Noida in September, from the 20th to the 23rd. One of the most exciting parts of this tour was being selected to perform at Shadipur Naatak Utsav 2024 in New Delhi. We consider this a major achievement for Just Hiss. Adding to the excitement, we also had the opportunity to perform at Shiv Nadar School, Faridabad Campus, and Pathways School, Noida, for the children and faculty. Our hearts were full when we returned to Bangalore, filled with memories and learnings.
Book tour @ Our Theatre Studio
Our Theatre Collective launched its first-ever book tour, showcasing playwright Abhishek Majumdar’s four celebrated works—Theatre Across Borders, The Djinns of Eidgah, Pah-la, and Thathaghat aur Anya Natak. In an engaging conversation with philosopher and social scientist Sundar Sarukkai, and theatre actor and practitioner Faria Fatima, Majumdar shared insights into his evolving journey in theatre as a director, playwright and a faculty of theatre. He spoke openly about the experiences that shaped The Djinns of Eidgah and Pah-la, inspired by his time in Kashmir and Tibet. He delved into how theatre is a powerful tool for fostering community and its expanding role as a pedagogical tool.
The evening wrapped up with an interesting Q&A, and an enchanted audience left with signed copies of his books in hand.
