National theatre festival from Feb 19

The eighth edition of the CGK National Theatre Festival will be held in Bengaluru from February 19 to February 22. It honours the memory of the renowned theatre director C G Krishnaswamy.

It will host film screenings, street theatre, poetry reading, and thala maddale, in addition to plays that are a fixture in every edition, says H L Pushpa from Ranganirantara Cultural Society. Dalit and women’s issues are common to these plays. ‘Theendari Pacha’ is a Malayalam play about the politics of menstruation. ‘Hattamalachya Palyad’ is a Marathi play about two thieves. Other plays lined up are ‘Shoodra Shiva’ and ‘Daklakhatha Devikavya’ in Kannada. The former is about social reformer Narayana Guru while the latter is an adaptation of K B Siddaiah’s epic poetry on untouchability, hunger and desire.

On the film front, ‘Ghama Ghama’, ‘Glee — Not Everyone’s Joy’, ‘Nam Sheddu’, and ‘Chakravyuha’ in Kannada and ‘Boiled Rice’ in Tulu will be screened.

*Feb 19 to 22 at Ravindra Kalakshetra. Free passes at the venue. Call 98865 43697/98444 29792 for schedule