To celebrate the day of Senior Citizens, Rotary Club of Calcutta Metro City and Bharat Petroleum staged ‘Twilight Tinkles’ featuring Sanchita Bhattacharya in Odissi recital at G.D. Birla Sabhagar on October 1. The traditional presentation began with Chandi stotra. Composed by Mayadhar Raut, it was presented with grace and grandeur. With a pleasing stage presence, Bhattacharya revealed the ecstacy of rhythm in her pure dance number Yugmadwanda, a favourite item of late Sanjukta Panigrahi, a doyen of Odissi dance. Bhattacharya excelled in abhinaya based on bhajan by Surdas. The group presentation of hamsadhwani pallavi was spontaneous, but it required more perfection. Music by Tarun Bhattacharya added an extra dimension to the presentation.
Sharmila Basu Thakur
The relationship between the actors and audience in a proscenium theatre is limited merely to audience-response. To break this, a genre of theatre has evolved that makes the audience a pro-active participant in the play. The Creative Arts’ The Merry Go Round (Max Muller Bhavan, September 22-25) belongs to this category. But unfortunately Ramanjit Kaur’s experiment fails to do what it sets out to. While the audience does follow the actors through the entire the play ? from the greenroom to the stage ? there is virtually no participation from it. The spectators remain as mute as in a proscenium theatre. Though there is an initial attempt to establish an interaction with them, this fizzles out soon. However, there are some vibrant, colourful sets, evoking backstage scenes.
Dola Mitra
The Central Glass and Ceramic Research Institute organised a recital of Jainul Abedin at its Meghnad Saha Auditorium on September 28. Abedin, perhaps, is the only khayal singer of present generation who sincerely adheres to his Ustad Latafat Hussain Khan’s style, while most others tend to dilute the uniqueness of the gharana. An elaborate alap and jod, the dwindling trademark of Agra-Atrauli, unfurled the petals of Bhimpalasi with tender care. The saadara became delightful when the behlawa and bol-bant enthused the tabla of Pandit Laxminarayan Mishra to provide apt replies or spontaneous sath-sangat. Poorvi, his next raga, was steeped in devotion. Further requests yielded a bhajan and a Bhairavi thumri.
Meena Banerjee
