Einstein
Written by Gabriel Emanuel, Einstein is an English monologue play starring Naseeruddin Shah, who has also directed it. As the name suggests, the play is based on the life and times of the eminent scientist. What was his daily routine like? How mundane was his everyday life? He is just as human as the rest of us, reiterates Einstein.
Where: Prithvi Theatre, Mumbai
When: January
Ismat Apa Ke Naam
This play is a tribute to the renowned Urdu storywriter, Ismat Chughtai. Set in middle-class Muslim homes of rural Uttar Pradesh, it stars Ratna Pathak Shah and Naseeruddin Shah in lead roles.
Where: Prithvi Theatre, Mumbai
When: January
Antigone (Uzbek/UK)
Antigone, the Athenian play about the oldest daughter of Oedipus and Jocasta, is getting an Uzbek/ UK reboot, which will be staged at the International Theatre Festival of Kerala. The story is about Antigone burying her brother in an act of civil disobedience and what follows.
Where: Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi, Thrissur
When: February
A perfect murder
This Marathi suspense thriller, an adaptation of an eponymous Alfred Hitchcock film, revolves around emotions resulting from adultery, betrayal and love. When Meera is off watching a play with an old flame, her husband Niranjan conspires to murder her. Will the plan succeed?
Where: Nehru Centre in Mumbai
When: January
Dearest Bapu, Love Kasturba
This English play features Zeenat Aman (on stage after 19 years) as Kasturba Gandhi and Arif Zakaria as the Mahatma in 19th century India. Directed by Saif Hyder Hasan, Dearest Bapu, Love Kasturba brings into focus their tumultuous relationship.
Where: Kamani Auditorium, Delhi
When: January
Taxfree: The Blind Men’s Club
Written by Chandrashekhar Phansalkar and directed by Naveen Diwakar, this is a Hindi comedy about three blind people. What happens when a new member joins the trio? There is chaos, confusion, comedy and loads of friendly banter.
Where: Black Canvas, Delhi
When: January
Dekh Behen
Directed by Shikha Talsania, Dekh Behen is about a big fat Delhi wedding in which five bridesmaids peform an item number in identical outfits. The interesting part: They all dislike the bride. Presented by Akvarious Productions, Dekh Behen is a women-centric drama about friendship and its counterfeit version.
Where: India Habitat Centre, Delhi
When: January
Patna Ka Superhero
“According to us, there have been only three revolutionaries in this world: Karl Marx, Bhagat Singh and Pintu Bhaiya.” Thus begins this scintillating Hindi play about infamous gang leader Pintu Bhaiya, as seen through the eyes of a Patna boy.
Where: Ranga Shankara, Bengaluru
When: February
Nothing Like Lear
What happens when the person who is supposed to make you laugh becomes sad? Nothing Like Lear is about a depressed clown who cannot stop crying. The one he loved the most has deserted him for good. Plus, he is not getting any younger. There is also the fact that he has been forced to perform this tragi-comedy.
Where: Ranga Shankara, Bengaluru
When: January
Kabuliwala Calling
Adapted from Rabindranath Tagore’s short story, Kabuliwala Calling is about the bond between a man and a child from radically different backgrounds. Interestingly, the story is presented by the Kabuliwalas of Kolkata themselves. The English play is especially relevant in the year following Tagore’s 160th birth anniversary.
Where: Jagriti Theatre, Bengaluru
When: January
Tempest (France)
Tempest is one of the international productions that will be staged as part of the International Theatre Festival of Kerala. It is a different take on the beloved Shakespearean play, helmed by Peter Brook, the legendary theatre and film director who died last year. It will be staged as a tribute to him. Brook’s experimental version of the play, which he said “contained so many rich levels of hidden meaning”, was first staged in Paris in 1968 and later, in London.
Where: Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi, Thrissur
When: February
Bali
The play is excerpted from the Ramayana and is a retelling of the events that lead up to the battle between Bali, the ruler of Kishkindha, and Ram, the king of Ayodhya. The question of morality and what constitutes evil are explored through a nuanced lens.
Where: Ranga Shankara, Bengaluru
When: March