For the first time in New Zealand, a unique musical dance-drama with no dialogue will play at the Green Bay High School Auditorium on Saturday, March 17 at 6pm.
It’s a love story – in fact a couple of them – spread across two generations, three continents and five decades. Set in a unique format that integrates stage acting, dancing, live music and singing as well as audio-visuals – not to mention dynamic audience interaction, it tells the story with a series of very popular Marathi songs through the decades.
The play is titled Eka Premachi Goshta (A love story) and involves some 35 actors, singers, dancers, musicians and other artistes – all from Auckland.
It is written, produced and directed by Dev Nadkarni for the Mohan Nadkarni Foundation. The foundation has worked with noted music teacher Sandhya Badakere and her Swar Sadhana Academy and dance teacher Swarali Pande (the play’s dance director) and her own Nritya Dance Academy. The adaptation and narration of the script will be by experienced theatre personality Kaustubh Pethe.
“The Mohan Nadkarni Foundation’s aim is to encourage the proliferation of traditional performing art and making available platforms to young artistes. Eka Premachi Goshta does exactly that: it brings together Auckland’s amazing young talent – singers, actors, dancers, musicians, audio visual artists all performing on one stage,” Dev Nadkarni told The Indian Weekender.
Some of the young artistes will be performing on stage for the first time.
The production draws upon many forms of performing arts both traditional and modern, while narrating the story that traverses through different countries and a period of 50 years. The actors use no dialogues throughout the play.
It is not necessary to know Marathi to understand and appreciate the play, Mr Nadkarni said. “Kaustubh Pethe’s commentary that bridges the songs has a generous sprinkling of English. Besides, the dynamic, contextualized audio visual backdrop and the emoting actors will tell you a lot more than words,” he adds.
The play runs for just under two hours.
Conceived at least three years ago, it took a while to get the core team together. Once the team was in place it has taken more than eight months of planning, practicing and rehearsing to get it to the stage, Mr Nadkarni said.
“Infusing the play with humour and the element of surprise was a bit challenging, to say the least especially in the absence of any dialogues,” Mr Nadkarni said.
Eka Premachi Goshta will play at the Green Bay High School Auditorium, Godley Road, Green Bay, on Saturday, March 17 at 6pm. Tickets ($10) at Saattveek, Sandringham Road or call Dev 021-1712777.