Three short Kannada plays on stage tomorrow

Bengaluru-based theatre group Sanchaya presents ‘Ondu Matteradu’, an anthology of three short Kannada plays. It will be staged at Ranga Shankara on Thursday.

The play premiered at Nataka Bengaluru last year and was the directorial debut of Sumadhura Rao, Vasantha Krishnamurthy, and Prithvi Venugopal. Each play is 30 minutes long and there is no common theme for the stories, says Vasantha. “The overarching theme is human emotions, as each play brings to light feelings like love, loss and grief, which we deal with on a daily basis,” she adds.

The play opens with ‘Olangana’. Written by Jayanth Kaikini, and directed by Sumadhura Rao, it is set in Ankola, a town in Uttara Kannada district. It tells the story of an elderly couple, who long for their children to return home.

The second story, ‘P to M’, sheds light on the journey of a woman from puberty to menopause. It has been directed, conceptualised and scripted by Vasantha. “The menstrual cycle still remains a taboo topic in our society. Through this play, I wanted to focus on womanhood and the challenges that come with it,” she tells Metrolife. The narrative has a light and humorous tone and aims to educate the audience “about the physical and mental stress a woman endures”. The closing play is directed by Prithvi Venugopal. Titled ‘Enemies’, it is a Kannada adaptation of Russian playwright Anton Chekov’s work of the same name. Diving deeper into the emotions of ego and selfishness, it follows a doctor who has to choose between his personal and professional life.

‘Ondu Matteradu’ on March 16, 7.30 pm, at Ranga Shankara, JP Nagar. Tickets available online and at the venue.