<p>As a means of commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Bangalore Little Theatre — in association with Ganjam — recently performed ‘Tiger! Tiger!’, a play on the life of Tipu Sultan. What was unique was that it was performed at the Bangalore Fort, the warrior-king’s summer palace during his reign.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Part of the ‘Tiger Comes to Town’ public history project, it was an attempt at letting Bangalore connect with its own history. “It was a site-specific event to recreate a period of history. Through this play, we wanted to trace the connection of human history,” informs Indira Chowdhury, from the Centre for Public History.<br /><br />Set against the backdrop of the turbulent 18th century, the play reconstructed a series of interlinked sequences involving both individuals and incidents that played a prominent role in the life of the Tiger of Mysore. The audience sat under the moonlit sky, watching with great anticipation as the deception and conspiracies unmasked themselves; as the young boy — whose childhood was spent hearing mystic lore — was forced to pick up the sword and defend his people against the British presence in the Deccan. <br /><br />“It was good because it interpreted and showed Tipu’s life in a very modern way. I liked how the battles, which he had to carry within himself, were brought out,” shares Murugan, who found the play to be very powerful.<br /><br />The acting, costumes and sets proved effective, but it was the script, written by the Late Dina Mehta, that stole the show. There were quite a few powerful lines that stayed in the mind long after the play. ‘The difference between a man and a man is as indistinct as the colour of their blood. Who then is my enemy?’ for instance, embodies the inner turmoil faced by Tipu. <br /><br />Interestingly, the Britishers’ perspective was also depicted, with the accents sounding believable. <br /><br />The well-crafted strategies they used to turn Indians against each other were brought out well in the plot too. <br /><br />While the play was much appreciated by all, the fact that it was actually performed in a historical site did not fail to impress. <br /><br /> “The location was absolutely stunning; I didn’t even know that this fort existed till today. The production quality was also excellent,” says Radhika, who attended the play. <br /><br />“It explored a known tale of history with a unique and interesting approach and actually managed to bring out the struggle of a philosopher, who has to go to battle,” she adds.<br /></p>
<p>As a means of commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Bangalore Little Theatre — in association with Ganjam — recently performed ‘Tiger! Tiger!’, a play on the life of Tipu Sultan. What was unique was that it was performed at the Bangalore Fort, the warrior-king’s summer palace during his reign.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Part of the ‘Tiger Comes to Town’ public history project, it was an attempt at letting Bangalore connect with its own history. “It was a site-specific event to recreate a period of history. Through this play, we wanted to trace the connection of human history,” informs Indira Chowdhury, from the Centre for Public History.<br /><br />Set against the backdrop of the turbulent 18th century, the play reconstructed a series of interlinked sequences involving both individuals and incidents that played a prominent role in the life of the Tiger of Mysore. The audience sat under the moonlit sky, watching with great anticipation as the deception and conspiracies unmasked themselves; as the young boy — whose childhood was spent hearing mystic lore — was forced to pick up the sword and defend his people against the British presence in the Deccan. <br /><br />“It was good because it interpreted and showed Tipu’s life in a very modern way. I liked how the battles, which he had to carry within himself, were brought out,” shares Murugan, who found the play to be very powerful.<br /><br />The acting, costumes and sets proved effective, but it was the script, written by the Late Dina Mehta, that stole the show. There were quite a few powerful lines that stayed in the mind long after the play. ‘The difference between a man and a man is as indistinct as the colour of their blood. Who then is my enemy?’ for instance, embodies the inner turmoil faced by Tipu. <br /><br />Interestingly, the Britishers’ perspective was also depicted, with the accents sounding believable. <br /><br />The well-crafted strategies they used to turn Indians against each other were brought out well in the plot too. <br /><br />While the play was much appreciated by all, the fact that it was actually performed in a historical site did not fail to impress. <br /><br /> “The location was absolutely stunning; I didn’t even know that this fort existed till today. The production quality was also excellent,” says Radhika, who attended the play. <br /><br />“It explored a known tale of history with a unique and interesting approach and actually managed to bring out the struggle of a philosopher, who has to go to battle,” she adds.<br /></p>
