Impressed by the young Indian actress and director Mallika Taneja who presented a committed and witty solo at the Theater Spektakel two years ago, the festival directorate are co-producing her next piece which will have its European premier at the Festival this year.

For the work, Rukaawat Ke Liye Khed Hai (Sorry for the Interruption), Mallika teams up with Swiss stage and light designer Sarah Büchel.

Delhi:
12, 13 and 14 August 2017 at OddBird Theatre, New Delhi at 8 pm
For passes click here

Zürich:
31 August, 1 and 2 September 2017 at Theater Spektakel, Zürich
Entry as per Festival rules

Synopsis:
Two bodies are on the run. They are trying to escape something – the fear of forgetting, the pinch of memory, the overwhelming weight of loss. All along, bearing down on them is the spectre of the nation, constantly interrupting them. They are tired, weak, leaking at the pores.

As they run, these bodies enter and exit stories of loss, their own and in the lives of others. They are breathless. A world of sound and images comes crashing around them. As they speed through this, they attempt to hold in their own hands, moments of tenderness. It becomes impossible for them not to hear the voices around them. They keep running, jumping through hoops, tackling obstructions, being struck by interruptions.

These interruptions are everywhere. They have the blessings of those in power. When we love who we wish to love, we’re interrupted, when we eat what we’d like to eat, we’re interrupted, when we say what we think we should say, an interruption blocks us. There are often lethal and always compounds of fear and hatred. The performance attempts to suspend us in some of these interruptions and see whether we can overcome them.

Cast & Crew:
Performed & Created by – Shubham & Mallika Taneja
Writer – Akhil Katyal
Sound Design – Samar Grewal
Video Design – Santana Issar
Light Design – Sarah Buechel
Rehearsal Director – Jaya Sharma
Production Manager – Pranav Sawhney

Directed by Mallika Taneja

Co-Produced by:
Zürcher Theatre Spektakel
SPIELART Festival, Munich
Fast Forward Festival / Onassis Cultural Centre Athens

Supported by:
Pro Helvetia – Swiss Arts Council, New Delhi

Photo credit: Abhijeet Singh

दोनों भाग रहे हैं। किसी चीज़ से भाग रहे हैं – भूलने के डर से, याद की चुभन से, दुःख का वज़न ढोय हुए। और लगातार जैसे देश की छाया उनका पीछा कर रही है। वे थक गयें हैं, कमज़ोर हैं, हमारी आखों के सामने दोनों बिखर रहे हैं।

भागते-भागते, ये दोनों दुःख की कहानियों के अंदर बाहर जाते हैं, उनका अपना दुःख और औरों का। वे बेदम हो रहे हैं, ध्वनि और छवियों की दुनिया उनके चारों ओर टूट रही है। तेज भागते हुए, ये दोनों अपने हाथों में कुछ कोमलता के क्षण संजोने की कोशिश कर रहे हैं। दोनों दौड़ते हैं, बाधाओं से निपटते हैं, रुकावटों से जूंझतें हैं।

ऐसी बाधाएं हर जगह हैं। जो सत्ता में हैं, ये उनके हथियार हैं। हमारे प्यार पर बाधाएं, हमारे खाने पर बाधाएं, हमारी सोच तक पर बाधाएं। अक्सर ये बाधाएं घातक होती हैं, और हमेशा डर और नफरत से बनी होती हैं। यह नाटक हमें इन बाधाओं पर जैसे लटका सा देता है और देखना चाहता है की क्या हम इनके परे जा सकते हैं।