Every play begins with a story. However, before it reaches the stage, it needs time, guidance and space to grow. The Kusumaale Fellowship for Kannada Playwriting was created with the specific intention to provide such support.
Organised by Bhasha Centre in collaboration with Prestige Centre for Performing Arts, the initiative was created to address a gap in the Kannada theatre landscape. “Kusumaale emerged from the observation that there is no structured programme for people who want to write plays in Kannada,” says Vivek Madan, founder of Bhasha Centre and one of the directors of Kusumaale.
The journey began with 11 participants. Nine completed full-length scripts and five selected for presentation. Witnessing their journey, Vivek tells us, “playwriting isn’t easy and unlearning isn’t easy either. Putting those two together means only a tenacious person can make the climb.”
This weekend brings two such stories — Shrunga BV’s LBW — that follows two boys growing up in 1990s Bengaluru, where cricket, friendship and ambition become intertwined; and Sumadhura Rao’s Ghaati! — that transports viewers to coastal Karnataka, where a young woman navigates family expectations and contemporary politics. “Interestingly, both are about young people whose dreams are shattered and how they pick up the pieces,” Vivek notes. Beyond the performances, one can also attend free lectures and workshops on translation, gender politics, theatre, financial literacy and arts management. “We really want this festival to be a place where people come together by using the past to better the future,” concludes Vivek. Watch this space for more coverage on the festival.
Entry free. June 6, 7, 12, 13 & 14, 11 am onwards. June 8, 9, 10 & 11, 5 pm onwards. At Konanakunte Cross.
Avantika Roy is an intern at Indulge, Bengaluru.
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