Aadyam theatre festival to stage 7 new plays in Delhi, Mumbai

With seven new plays to be staged in two metro cities over a span of eight months, ongoing theatre festival Aadyam seeks to expand the theatre watching experience for the Indian audience.
An initiative by the Aaditya Birla Group, the festival, in its third edition, will go beyond defined spaces of a stage by exploring newer genres.
"Through Aadyam, we have been trying to bring a shift in the way theatre is both produced and consumed in the country. While enhancing production values, we have also sought to expand the experience of consuming theatre beyond the defined spaces of a stage," Kumar Mangalam Birla, founder of Aadyam, said.

Having opened with 'Guards at the Taj' by The Hoshruba Reportory on April 29 in Mumbai, curtains will be raised on the festival here on May 27 and 28 with 'Bandish 20-20000Hz' by Aarambh theatre group.
All shows in Delhi will be performed at the Kamani Auditorium here.
The festival will also see 'Gajab Kahani' by Aasakta Kalamanch Pune, 'Anand Express' by Rage Productions, 'Mother Courage and her Children' by Quasar Thakore Padamsee, 'Under The Gypsy Moon' by AK Various, and '3 Penny Opera' by Motley theatre group.

While 'Guards at the Taj' and 'Gajab Kahani' will be staged only in Mumbai, the other five plays will travel also to Delhi.

Since its inception in 2015, the theatre festival has introduced new genres and production houses to the Indian audience.
"Aadyam has always attached premium to the theatre watching and creating communities. With Aadyam 2017, we're looking to grow this community, work with newer genres and production houses while continuing our uncompromising approach to quality, scale and crafting memories," Brian Tellis of Aadyam said.
Directed by Nadir Khan, 'Anand Express', which tells a story of three friends on "an exhilarating adventure to give their beloved fourth friend a fitting farewell", will be staged here on July 8 and 9.
Based on one of German playwright Bertolt Brecht's best known works, 'Mother Courage and her Children' will explore the futility and absurdity of war on Sept 28 and 29.

'Under the Gypsy Moon', directed by Akash Khurana, tells the story of a nomad. It will be performed on Oct 7 and 8.
The festival will conclude on November 25 and 26 with Imaad Shah's '3 Penny Opera'.