Russian acrobatic-drama 'Reverse' premiers in India, gets standing ovation in Delhi

After wowing audiences in Russia, the Moscow Musical Theater's iconic performance 'Reverse' Sunday arrived in India in style as it blew the minds of people here with a mix of edgy drama, choreography and mind-boggling acrobatics.

The audience at the jam-packed Kamani Auditorium watched the nearly hour-long show in stunned silence, only to rise at the end for giving a standing ovation.

The production has been created by young Russian directors Andrey Koltsov and Irina Drozhzhina, with participation of Debra Brown, the Emmy Award-winning Canadian choreographer.

Smita Darshan, who came to watch the theatrical show along with her husband and young daughter, said, "It was something they had never seen before in a theatre. It was mind-boggling".

"The performance were so excellent and the theme of life's struggle conveyed through emotions, touched us all. And, the two acrobatic performers on the trampoline who did multiple somersaults, as if they were doing it forever, just trapped our senses," she said.

Russian nationals Natalia and Sergey Sein were also left amazed at the end of the show.

"It just blew us away. I watched it for the first time. What a beautiful and powerful performance without using a single word," Natalia said.

Powerful it was indeed, as the entire show was silent, and actors used acrobatic movements, visceral gestures and cries and screams to convey emotions.

The show marked the opening of the two-month-long event 'Days of Russian Culture in India' jointly organised by the Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR) and the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation.

After delighting audience in Delhi, 'Reverse' will next move to Jaipur.

The experimental performance delves into struggles that goes on in human minds everyday, explores symbolic meanings of love, hatred, camaraderie, and a whole other gamut of emotions, heightened by use of props such as elevated doors, trapeze and trampoline.

Koltsov said these 'doors' are all in our hearts and minds, and so are the keys to open them.

"The show, conceived a year ago, is not just recreational but also has a philosophical message to it, whether we humans wish to go together or keep struggling to go up alone, in self-centered way, with no happiness in return," he told PTI.

The director said this was the first overseas premiere of the show, after 50 performances in Moscow.

"We are very happy to have the premier in Delhi and humbled by the warm response we received tonight," he said.

Darshan's seven-year-old daughter Tanisha said she was delighted by ladder scene and the hopscotch game scene.

Russian Ambassador to India Nikolay Kudashev said, through cultural events like this, the two countires will come even closer.

Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh also stressed on the importance of cultural and people-to-people ties between the two countries.

After the show, Koltsov told the audience, "Thank you. I wish to say that the doors between India and Russia should always be open," receiving a thunderous applause.