Why couldn’t plays be directed online as well, given that classes can be taught online? The Hindi drama “Chappal Ki Dukaan Aage Hai,” which will be shown on May 5 at Theatrenama in Bengaluru’s Koramangala, is the answer to that query. The director of the show, Kamal Kabuliwala, who is also the artistic director of the Kabuliwala Storytelling and Theatre Company, even gave it a name: satellite theater.
He put it all together while seated in Delhi and communicating via WhatsApp. “We tried this approach four years ago, but we had to wrap it up due to the epidemic. Since the crowd responded favorably to the few performances we were able to put on, I have now made the decision to bring this back,” Kabuliwala stated.
According to Kabuliwala, the actors can practice for the play at their own convenience while sitting in their homes thanks to the satellite theatre style. According to Kabuliwala, “the actors will actually meet each other for the first time during the performance.” The guiding principle of satellite theater appears to be, once you start trying things, why stop at one? This time, if they so choose, the audience is also allowed to participate, according to Kabuliwala. Since this is an experiment, the audience is also welcome to enter the stage and participate in the silent acting portions. By doing so, they can help the experiment succeed by contributing to the play’s scenes.
The author, who is frequently called the Premchand of our times, has included a lot of amusing situations in his story, such as the rickshaw that moves on its own, the magical lamp of memories, the rickshaw that talks to bicycles, flying with fugga, and the slipper shop’s constant presence. For experimental theater, this works beautifully,” Kabuliwala remarked. The director continued, “If this works out, we’ll take this to other cities and maybe organise more shows in Bengaluru.”
