Workshop on Mahabharata

MAHABHARATA

The poem of humanity, the Mahabharata, is the great epic story of whom where considered to be the Indian ancestors: the Bharata. Written between the IV century B.C. and the IV A.D., and considered one of the most sacred book in the world, this poem is still sang, danced, enacted, read, drawn, depicted through all kinds of art forms in India and abroad.

Western theatre artists have always been fascinated by eastern performing art forms, as for example Brecht and Mei Lanfang from Pechino’s opera, or the work of Artaud with the Bali’s dance; but during the twentieth century in Europe we witnessed one of the most relevant event of the century: 1985 the director Peter Brook presented “Le Mahabharata”, a performance of nine hours with an international cast that in a few years became a wonderful movie (reduced to just six hours!). Being a drama artist, classical indian dancer and researcher, I think it’s the moment to take a challenge working with this monumental poem, especially because studying and working on it I discovered deep similarity  with Shakespeare’s work: thematic, characters, philosophy, relationships, … So the challenge is to work on some of the Mahabharata’s scenes, using it as a pretext to find a new way to portray the universal and powerful messages included in it. Message that, on my opinion, can be resumed in: think, try to understand yourself and the world, and mostly act, be, or better “To be”.

Sagome Teatro organized a workshop starting on March, 20^th 2011 in which we will work on the play and we will produce a performance in July at PIM OFF theatre, in Milan, after three intensive days of residence at the theatre itself. We will work in English because we think it’s the most proper language for the poem, sharp and epic.

On  February, 23^rd 2011 Sagome Teatro will present the workshop at SIRIN association, via Vela 15 Milano at 9.00 pm, during this evening will be projected some moments of different plays and three actors will read some scenes from Mahabharata. All are welcome!

Lucrezia Maniscotti