It's the witching hour

The newly-launched ShowShaa Theatre at Kingdom of Dreams in Gurgaon is hosting Wizwits, a children's musical

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As the lighting is being tested and the stage being put in order, a cherubic 5-year-old, dressed in blue with a big red flower in her hair, makes her entry. She checks the volume level of the microphone, mouths a couple of lines, shares a laugh with her coactors, who are nearly four times her age, and exits the stage. This is Nargis, a bundle of talent and lead of Kingdom of Dreams' new musical, Wizwits. Directed by theatre veterans Lushin Dubey and Bubbles Sabharwal, the show makes its debut at Kingdom of Dreams' recently-launched venue, ShowShaa Theatre, which is the third cultural and entertainment venue for guests at the complex after Culture Gully and Nautanki Mahal.

Based on Roald Dahl's The Witches, the story unfolds in Poo Pot Hotel where objects come to life with a mere touch of the finger. This mad place is also the venue of the annual conclave of the terrible and magical Wizwits (wizards and witches). This event coincides with the arrival of a gaggle of children with their rather silly mother. The rest is a funny, scary, mysterious roller-coaster ride through this enchanted wonderland.

As the directors attend to the last minute changes, I go backstage to be greeted with a flurry of activity. Actors, aged 5 and above, are busy trying on costumes in every possible colour. The Wizwits throng the stairs, testing their bat-like wings. Dubey watches on like a proud mother. "These are my jewels on stage. Children's theatre is my tonic, it's what keeps me going," says Dubey who, along with Sabharwal, has been doing children's plays for the past 24 years. "Kids are honest performers. There are no egos."

The duo is excited about staging the show at ShowShaa. They recall a time when they had to struggle to get even Rs 5,000 because no one wanted to sponsor their plays. "We are glad to have collaborated with Kingdom of Dreams, which has such great infrastructure," says Dubey. "There is a crying need to boost children's theatre." Wizwits will have 150 shows at ShowShaa and the process of putting this production together has been as magical as the story of the musical itself. Sabharwal recalls Nargis as a shy little girl when she enrolled for the workshop last year. "She used to be standing outside and howling, chewing the strap of her water bottle. But now, just look at her. Then there is Giridhar who came to us when he was 3. He is 8 now and a star on stage," she says. "Then there is another kid who had learning difficulties, but is now flying high."

Barely 10 minutes are left for the show to start and the cast and crew are being called to order. "Some Wizwits are missing," Dubey cries and soon kids begin to emerge from various corners of the green room. Viraf Sarkari, director, Kingdom of Dreams, walks in for a pep talk with the team. "I have travelled the world and seen many forms of theatre. I wanted this venue to be available to every kind of event. The idea is to make it a grand MICE venue which can be available for book launches, corporate events, conferences, you name it," he says. It's a bit hard to imagine that the 250 seats, which are right now bathed in blue and pink lights, can be retracted at the press of a button to create an open space. The 60 x 60 ft stage is equipped with hydraulic stage lifts, fly bars, Kirby flying systems and life-size LED walls to create a 3D effect. "On weekends, the space will transform into Club ShowShaa," he says.

With that Sarkari requests everyone to form a circle, hold hands and chant Om. Such is the excitement in the air that even the silence that follows is palpating with energy. When the children open their eyes, Sarkari shouts in his robust voice, "What time is it?" and the Wizwits shout back, "It's showtime."

Wizwits will be staged at ShowShaa Theatre from Tuesday to Friday every week at 6 pm and on Saturday and Sunday at 12.30 pm and 6 pm