Agyaat Katha aims to honor Goan performing traditions and has been designed incorporating the structure of the Katha Gaayan (story recitation forms), along with few identifiable conventions of Indian theatre and dance forms.
Agyaat Katha reflects a reimagined episode from the Lok-Mahabharat involving the Pandavas in exile. The conflict between Arjun (as Brihannala) and Bhima (as Ballava) begins due to Brihannala’s penchant for Dance. Draupadi (as Sairandhri) is caught between Arjuna’s journey of self exploration. The indigenous tribal of the forest accept him as he is and help him to explore himself.
The performance comments about the suffocating weight of expectations, quest for power and the violence it breeds. It is about the cost of fitting in and the courage it takes to be whole. The play seeks to find a balance between masculine and feminine energies in ways that feel authentic to each individual. Importantly, these traits are not inherently tied to a specific gender and the play conveys this very message.
Director :
Born and brought up in Goa, Dr Saish Deshpande is an alumnus of Kala Academy Goa’s School of Drama and later completed his Masters in Performing Arts through Shivaji University, Kolhapur where he attained his Doctorate in Dramatics with the subject ‘A Study of Goan Traditional Theatre and Goan Folk Theatre with special reference to ‘Music’. He also has attained UGC- NET in Dramatics.
Since 1988, Dr. Saish Deshpande has directed 75 or more full length plays comprising of Folk, Traditional, Classical and Modern Indian play productions in Konkani, Marathi, Hindi, English & Sanskrit.
He also has designed and composed Music for more than 100 plays till date since 1984. Apart from directing and designing, he regularly delivers lectures at University departments, Theatre institutes, Conferences and National seminars and conducts classes in Theatre Music, Natyashastra and Traditional Theatre of India.
Currently he is employed as ‘Announcer’ with additional responsibility as ‘Programmes and Drama Producer’ at Akashvani – Panaji.
Director’s Note
Goa has its own traditions of Katha Gaayan (story recitation forms) that combine elements of folk tales, mythology, and local history. This art form is often traditionally performed by bards accompanied by a chorus in a lively and engaging manner.
Agyaat Katha aims to honor these traditions and has been designed incorporating the structure of the Goan Katha Gaayan folk form, along with few identifiable conventions of Indian theatre and dance forms. The performance reflects a reimagined episode from the Lok-Mahabharat through the collective nature of the storytelling tradition to give it a contemporary resonance.
In this production, audiences can expect a blend of folk melodies, semi-classical dance and music phrases alongside stylised movements infused with raw emotion, weaving together a rustic tapestry of our Indian theatre style.
I hope this performance by ‘Abhivyaktee-Panaji’ leaves you with a sense of wonder, a deeper connection to the epic that binds us and an appreciation for the ways in which theatre speaks to both the past and the present.
Group :
Our theatro-cultural organization viz “Abhivyaktee” was formed in the year 1997 at Panaji by the alumnus of Kala Academy‟s School of Drama & has since then been thriving for artistic expressions for Children & Adults for a sociocultural cause.
Our regular activities here in Goa include theatre classes for youth & workshops to aid the total development of a ones personality using the elements of performing arts.
We have in the past been supported by National level organizations like West Zone Cultural Centre , Sangeet Natak Akademi; New Delhi & also by the National School of Drama (NSD) for two “Theatre Camps” at Arunachal Pradesh & one workshop at Goa.
We also design & produce issue based Plays, Theatricals, Musicals & thematic presentations. Abhivyaktee has been active in the Cultural field since 1997.
Festivals organized by us have been well accepted by Goan art lovers.
Some of the activities undertaken by us include Organizing Theater and Music Festivals at Goa,
Production oriented Theatre Workshops from 1997 onwards, Plays & skits in Konkani, Marathi, Hindi, Sanskrit & English, Background score for multi cultural events & contests, Play productions for Radio & Television, World Theatre Day celebrations, “Yuva Jagruti” – an annual cultural event for & by youth.