Later this year, we begin the process, here in Bangalore, of creating a play called Boy with a Suitcase by the British playwright, Mike Kenny. It is a part of a larger project called Wanderlust where state theatres in Germany work with theatres in other countries. In this case, Bangalore based Rangashankara forms a unique collaboration with a theatre in Mannheim, Germany called the Schnawwl Theatre to create theatre for young people. It will be directed by Schnawwl's artistic director, Andrea Gronemeyer, and I will be the assistant director.
Boy with a Suitcase tells the story of Naz and Krysia, two young people, who find themselves on a journey to another, unknown country…
Essentially it is a story of immigration. Of having to move away from your familiar; of having to find new co-ordinates that help define your life.
Coordt, a young German musician, will come to Bangalore and imbibe her sounds. He will walk down Avenue Road, record the sound of temple bells pealing over the traffic, of cows mooing while people talk, of vegetable vendors and honking autos and film music blaring. He will then improvise with other Bangalore musicians to create a sound track for the play that will tell a story of memories and of journeys.
In February 2011, all the actors, both Indian and German, will rehearse the play in Nrityagram before the premier in Mannheim in April.
What I love about the project are the outreach possibilities. Talking with children who have migrated from their home towns. In Bangalore it could be children of construction workers from Bidar or hotel workers from Kundapur. In Mannheim it could be the children of Turkish or Indian parents.
Another outreach idea is that we forge a cyber-link between a group of students in Bangalore and in Mannheim. They will be cyber pen-pals of sorts! And discuss differences and similarities. What it means to migrate; to travel to new countries, learn new languages, meet people who eat different food, watch different films, listen to different music.
Check out Rangashankara and Schnawwl Theatre at the following links.
http://www.schnawwl.de/index.php
Check out a previous production of Mike Kenny's Boy with a Suitcase by Barnstorm Theatre Company in Ireland.
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