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The art of play!
Everyday Asia’s blog structure ‘shake-up’ continues… for after all, what’s ‘work‘ without ‘play‘!
As shared, ‘work‘ is a new category created to explore how:
- Work enables explorations of new places, experiences and more!
- Everyday work weaves its way into the fabric of our lives
- Getting things done in a country other than where you grew up can be… well.. different?
Holi greetings (Photo: OkGo)
The ‘play‘ category largely pulls together stories revolving around topics such as: (more…)
Discovering hidden venues – “Charge” at Sitara Studio
On average we see a play once a week or so. The typical venues in Mumbai are NCPA, Prithvi Theatre, sometime one of the college theatres like Sophia or St Andrews.
However there are alternate venues too. We’ve seen theatre performed in someone’s living room or in the middle of a field at The Company Theatre in Kamshet.
Eric Kaiser’s play Charge, directed by Yuki Ellias
Last weekend, we were introduced to another venue – Sitara Studio in Dadar West – compliments of Eric Kaiser’s play “Charge“. The venue has this industrial warehouse feel perfect for a post apocalyptic play about a bed-ridden couple Martha and George who are obsessed with betting or chasing the illusion of reality with their whims and bodily needs catered to by their androids Gigi and Pierre. (more…)
7th Quarter Summary
Funny how time zips by when you are doing nearly nothing!
While not strictly true, the 7th Quarter of “Every Day Adventures in Asia (Mostly)” was certainly more sedate than previous quarters given it was minus the manic travel and project work.
How perfectly Dutch
This 7th quarter brought:
- An impromptu trip to Amsterdam, finally adding Europe to all my recent adventures… naturally I’ve had oodles of past ones! 😉
- Saw LOTS of theatre – some fabulous and some definitely not!
- Mad marriage marathons in Mumbai… once I’m fully recovered I may share some of the gory details!
- Oodles of family visitors for the Christmas / New Years season
- And finally a focus on fitness for the slow journey back to normality post ankle injury – including shuffling along to support Avehi Abacus at the Mumbai Marathon!
How bad theatre results in a great eve
We’ve seen some terrific theatre over the last few months… but it can’t always be a complete hit or ‘wow’ reaction!
No surprise, a recent new production that SHOULD be good was actually a dud.
The audience was so collectively stunned that when the lights dimmed at the end of the performance, there was a resounding silence. Followed by an uncomfortably polite smattering of lacklustre applause.
No… I will not give further details or trash the folks involved – they were clearly sincere in their efforts. It just did NOT work. (more…)
Theatre III – Celebrate Bandra + Jazz
While I was off gallivanting around Europe, my partner was busy with myriad of activities… including organising the theatre section of Celebrate Bandra.
While there is a whole host of fabulous music, dance, theatre and more to see and do, I’m naturally completely biased and planned my flight in time to return to see his performance in “Bombay JAZZ”. (more…)
Theatre II – Prithvi Festival + Naseeruddin Shah’s Einstein
Prithvi is a theatrical oasis in the midst of the mad hustle and bustle, chaos and cacophony that makes up every day life in Mumbai.
For those not familiar, for over 35 years it has been home to the performing arts of Bombay. The theatre is intimate with the audience surrounding three sides of the stage and a seating capacity of only 300.
Inside the complex is a delightful outdoor cafe where cutting chai is sipped alongside cappuccinos, where folks hang out before or after a performance chatting, reading, relaxing and soaking in the ambiance. Wander further and browse around the small bookstore bursting with books on theatre and related topics. (more…)
Theatre I – Intro
One of the hazards benefits of living with a stage actor is I get to see a LOT of theatre… sometimes in our living room!
In the last month since I returned from Indonesia, we’ve enjoyed two theatre festivals, I nearly missed one play from Canada but managed to join a ‘pop up venue’ version and my partner is curating a third theatre festival – part of a larger set of festivities that make up ‘Celebrate Bandra’.
And as my partner’s rehearses for his play ‘JAZZ‘, I couldn’t help but think, how lucky is it to enjoy LIVE theatre? (more…)
Canadian lass in Bollywood – Aspiring actress or dreams dashed?
A dear director friend asked if I could meet with a young Canadian woman contemplating moving to Mumbai to get into acting here. Mostly from the perspective of how I’ve adjusted, my experience with visas, etc.
East weds west on the small screen – read all about it!
Now it isn’t completely unheard of.. after all… in a country of a billion plus people there is a ONE new TV serial that actually stars a blonde haired blue eyed new bride “Firangi Bahu.” I’ve been a bahu or daughter-in-law and survived to tell the tale! It isn’t a completely preposterous idea…
But breaking into ‘The Bollywood Biz” ain’t easy… and while I’m no expert, I have watched on the sidelines off and on since 1990 with friends and family (partner) who have struggled and sometimes succeeded in film, TV and stage. Along the way have picked up a few insights and stories behind the stereotypes….
Yet I still felt like such a nasty horrible person dishing out the following reality check dashing starry eyes and hopeful smiles: (more…)
“It was a pleasure not sleeping with you!” – Part 2
Last weekend was a brilliant – if sleepless – experience with my partner and a couple hundred other folks at The Company Theatre Workspace at Kamshet, Maharashtra, India.
While it was bloody cold it definitely delivered and was worth a little zzzz deprived night! (more…)
“It was a pleasure not sleeping with you!” – Part 1
Tumbling exhausted but enriched out of the car, a tight hug, we said our goodbyes and parted ways.
Hello truck! En route to Kamshet, Maharashtra
We’d spent the last 18 hours together – including an intimate all night experience…
It started innocently enough…
A month or so ago my partner said “Love – just block your calendar for 1st – 2nd March, ok?”
I blindly responded with an enthusiastic “Sure!” Clueless of what would come…
When I learnt the weekend was an outdoor festival many miles from Mumbai with an unknown creature comforts quotient went “Hmmm…”
Allow me to remind folks, my partner’s style is more 5 star than backpacking. If he must camp, glamping (glamorous camping) is the preferred approach. (more…)
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