Onstage in 2025
P C Ramakrishna Retrospective
Design and Direction: P C Ramakrishna
Performance Dates: October 3, 4, 5
Venue: Museum Theatre, Egmore
BOOKINGS
OPENING SOON
Synopsis
In this retrospective, we are presenting an encore of Komal Swaminathan’s “Water” and “Lakshmikanthan”, a docu-drama on the celebrated murder trial of 1945 of the Madras High Court involving the superstars, M K Thyagaraja Bhagavathar and N S Krishnan. We will be premiering a new adaptation of Sivasankari’s “Mercy”; this was earlier presented as a solo performance in 2005 featuring P C Ramakrishna, directed by Mithran Devanesan.
Kamalakshi
Playwright: Sujatha Vijayaraghavan
Design and Direction: P C Ramakrishna
Performance Dates: January 3 and February 28
Venues: Narada Gana Sabha and Chowdiah Memorial Hall, Bangalore
Synopsis
“Kamalakshi” tells the story of a Devadasi dancer in the late 19th century. Young Sivaguru, a singer extraordinaire, is the very soul of the temple, inheriting the musical parampara of Sri Muthuswami Dikshitar. Kamalakshi, a young Devadasi dancer, is fascinated by his music. She is torn between her spiritual attachment to Lord Thyagaraja and her own Devadasi upbringing, urged by her mother, Parvatham. The conflict unfolds as the unscrupulous Mirasdar Sugavanam enters the picture to demand his pound of flesh. Does Kamalakshi come through the dilemma that plagues her? What happens to Sivaguru? This production has live music and dance woven into its fabric, along with drama.
Chudamani 2
Stories of R Chudamani
Adaptation and Direction: P C Ramakrishna
Performance Date: February 1
Venue: Vani Mahal
Synopsis
In 2016, The Madras Players staged “Chudamani”, an adaptation of short stories of the celebrated writer, R Chudamani. It was a huge success, drawing capacity crowds at various centres, including Mumbai, Coimbatore, Trichy and Auroville. Buoyed by this public acclaim, in 2024, we presented “Chudamani 2”, a selection of 7 new stories of R Chudamani. These stories, written half a century ago, reflect her as a writer far, far ahead of her times. We trust these stories will find an answering chord in you.
Relatively Speaking
Playwright: Alan Ayckbourn
Director: Tehzeeb Katari
Performance Date: February 1
Venue: The Presidency Club
Synopsis
“Relatively Speaking” is a delightful play, with quick witted humour and sparkling dialogue. This play is about two couples in a tangled web of misunderstandings. Till the final scene, at least three, of the cast of four, seem not to have a clear idea of the exact relationships of the others. The play is a heady mix of confusion that is hard to resist. It shows us that laughter can be conjured up out of marital confusion, with a bit of good clean fun in which nobody gets hurt.
