'Book of Poetry' explores body theatre

 At a time when the focus in theatre is more on bringing technology on stage to make it more attractive and realistic, city-based The Actors Collective, an amateur theatre troupe, is experimenting with ‘body theatre.’

In the body theatre form, stress is more on actors playing multiple roles in a highly physically-demanding format in the absence of traditional lights, make-up, properties, stage design and costumes.

“Body Theatre relies on a tremendous amount of sync among actors,” says Rajesh P I, theatre director and founder of The Actors Collective.

The concept was first introduced to Rajesh by Dr Shekhar Sheshadri, noted child psychiatrist and theatre personality.

Rajesh has been working in theatre for the past 25 years and experimented on playback theatre for over a decade. This is the first time that he is experimenting with the body theatre form.

The play, ‘The Book of Poetry,’ is inspired by all the poets who have ever walked on the face of the earth and all the poets who are yet to come, he says, recalling how fascinated he was after reading ‘The Story of Poetry’ when in school.

“Poetry is a metaphor here for all the arts. Art is the conscience-keeper for all of mankind. 'The Book of Poetry' is a clarion call to look within and to nurture the artiste within,” he says.

The play is multilingual and represents the cosmopolitan character of the city.  Besides English, the play has dialogues in Kannada, Tamil, Hindi and Bengali. 

The high octane play has actors from diverse professional backgrounds playing multiple roles with no reliance on sets or props.

The play will have back-to-back shows on Saturday and Sunday at Lahe Lahe in Indiranagar from 7 to 8 pm. The tickets are priced at Rs 150.