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Why Theatre for Children?

The formative years in a child’s life are of utmost importance. From the time he or she emerges from the mother’s womb, till formal education starts, learning takes place continuously, through touch, feel, and the other senses. This learning forms the building blocks of the adult of tomorrow. Therefore, the quality and the aesthetic of what we show the child, in the growing years, is of extreme importance, and if these be the building blocks of the adult of tomorrow, they are also the building blocks of the nation. Tolerance, anger, empathy, understanding, listening, and observing, among others, are all important character traits that are developed by the watching of theatre

AHA! is a programme that we have given a lot of thought to, because we care, and you would introduce your children to theatre because you care!”

- Arundhati Nag, Founder and Artistic Advisor

Through the AHA! International Theatre for Children Festival, we showcase some extraordinary national and international productions for young audiences. Plays come from several countries of the world for this festival that takes place in Jun-Jul every year. In the Indian section, we present the best of what India is watching that year and also bring some folk forms that our young people should see, while in the international section, we present the best of what the world is watching that year! The AHA! Festival brings a range of productions that are designed for different ages, right from 2 years onwards.

AHA! 2021 - PLAYS

Book Tickets

GOLLA
Tue, 20 – Mon, 26 July 2021
Conceptualized and performed by Sananda Mukhopadhyaya 
20 min | Non-verbal 
For ages 2+

Synopsis

In the beginning there was a ball of dough, but soon enough, other forms emerged and formed a world. ‘Golla’ is a live material theatre performance created for children above 2 years of age. The play is told through movement, music, and actions.

NOTE TO CAREGIVERS: The caregiver, who will watch and play with the child, is encouraged to keep a ball of dough ready to play after the performance. Please do not keep it with you visible to the child during the show, though. It is also recommended that caregivers choose to create a space for watching by clearing out extra furniture, laying out a rug or sheet, or simply choosing an open space where they can sit with their child to watch the play, free from familiar stimuli like toys, objects or pets that the child sees in their daily life.

Sananda Mukhopadhyaya, Mumbai

Theatre-maker and art-based educator Sananda Mukhopadhyaya’s first play for children, 'In the Cat House', opened at the Prithvi theatre Summertime Festival for Children in 2012. 2017 saw her first play for babies, ‘Warp and Weft', come to life under the mentorship of Sarah Argent and Kevin Richard Lewis, as a part of 'Shishu-Baban', a collaboration between Think Arts (Kolkata) and Theatre Iolo (Cardiff). She then went on to direct 'Oool' for Tram Arts Trust, under the mentorship of Barbara Kolling from Helios Theatre (Germany) in a series of mentorships facilitated by the Katkatha Puppet Arts Trust (New Delhi). Her most recent play, 'Hanv Gara Asa', is for ages 2 – 4. Commissioned by the Serendipity Arts Foundation, the play at the Festival’s 2019 edition in Goa.

Book Tickets

WHEN THE COLOURS RAN AWAY
Wed, 21 – Tue, 27 July 2021
Written and directed by C G Salamander
Produced by ThinkArts (Kolkata)
20 min | English
For ages 4+
Commissioned by the Vancouver International Children's Festival for the 2021 edition

Synopsis

ThinkArts presents a digital performance about two boys, errant colours and artworks imbued with life!

Adi & Rohan are thrilled about their trip to the Art Museum. Rumours about a painting with colours the likes of which they've never seen has got them all the more excited. But once there, they notice something strange - the colours from the painting have all run away!

ThinkArts, Kolkata

Founded in 2013, ThinkArts facilitates high quality, transformative arts events for children and young adults, driven by the belief that regular creative experiences are essential for children to develop their imagination and emotional intelligence. Based in Kolkata, Think Arts has collaborated with over 75 partners across India and internationally to bring a diverse programme of literary, visual art, dance, theatre and story-telling events to children and young people in several cities across India.

Book Tickets

DER APFELWALD/ THE APPLEWOOD
Thu, 22 – Wed, 28 July 2021
Directed by Daniel Gol
Produced by Schauburg Theater for Young Audiences (Germany)
50 min | Non-verbal
For ages 5+

Synopsis

Three very different figures wake up in a dream forest. They look for their way, their space and themselves. Distance seems necessary, doors prefer to stay closed. But in the end curiosity drives them out. They discover where freedom begins and where it ends, and they also track down the enemy of their own freedom.

The Schauburg Theatre for Young Audiences, Germany

Munich-based Schauburg Theatre for Young Audiences is among the largest and most renowned theatres for young audiences in Germany. Under the able directorship of Andrea Gronemeyer, Schauburg is an open house for the performing arts for the young and the young at heart, with a diverse repertory of pieces catering to audiences from the age of 3 months to adulthood!

Book Tickets

AOUUUU!
Fri, 23 – Sat, 29 July 2021
Directed by Anna Papst
Produced by Chamarbellclochette (Switzerland)
45 min | French/ English (with English subtitles)
For ages 5+
Supported by the Swiss Arts Council (Pro Helvetia New Delhi & Zurich)

Synopsis

Little bunny is afraid of everything! At the slightest rustle of leaves he trembles, at each crackle of branches his heart pounders. Getting out of the house or playing hide and seek with friends can be a real ordeal. Realizing that his anxieties prevent him from living, little bunny decides to act. What if to be less afraid he slipped into the skin of a predator who fears no one? Thing said, done! The next day, little bunny makes himself a wolf costume, the effect of which will be much more terrifying than expected ...

Is it enough to cross-dress to change? How to tame our fears without sinking into entrenchment or loneliness? Nourished by the frame and the visual universe of the youth album ‘Ich bin ein Wolf, sagt Hase’ (transl. I am a wolf, said rabbit) by the Lucerne illustrator Jadwiga Kowalska, the two directors, Chine Curchod and Anna Papst, play with the atmospheres and the force of the images to detect the spiral of fear and the subterfuges of the childish imagination.

The result of an unprecedented collaboration between four Swiss theatrical structures, this show, full of sensations, happily transcends linguistic barriers and deceptive appearances.

Chamarbellclochette, Switzerland

Chamar Bell Clochette is a Swiss theatre company with real people and real puppets (!), founded in Geneva in 2008 by actress and puppeteer Chine Curchod. Chine created her first puppet show  “Never call me my little bunny again”, followed by “Loulou”, adaptations of books by Grégoire Solotaref.

Book Tickets

THE WATER SEED/ PAANI KA BEEJ
Sat, 24 – Fri, 30 July 2021
Directed by Swati Singh and Barkha Fatnani
Produced by Gillo Repertory Theatre
36 min | English
For ages 8+
Supported by the ThinkArts Grant 2020 for creating digital content for young audiences

Synopsis

When the rains did not come, the young people of the village went in search of water. One of them brought back a water seed! Adapted from an adivasi (first people) story, ‘The Water Seed’ is a performance made with materials and objects. We hope that this adaptation will trigger discussions about water and the global water crisis, water conservation and our relation with water, as individuals as well as a community, country and species.

About the Gillo Repertory

Gillo Repertory Theatre works in Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA), creating performing arts experiences that engage children and young adults with theatre in particular and the arts in general.It was started in 2009 with a wish to create contextual content especially for children in India. Their work, that includes content development, performance and training, creates opportunities for children to develop deep and life-long connections with the arts. There is a focus on showcasing original Indian content, developing value for the performing arts, creating age-specific performances, training performers and making theatre more accessible to children.

Book Tickets

About the Workshop

Theatre and the act of watching it can help us understand the world and our place in it. The workshop will provide a fun, informal space for participants to reflect on and talk about the plays they have watched, and openly voice their opinions through a guided process. The sessions are meant for any youngsters who are passionate about theatre – budding actors, writers, directors, reviewers – but no adults allowed!! Through exciting activities and group tasks, participants will be introduced to various new ways of looking at and appreciating a performance. There will be a focus on elements of theatre beyond the story and acting – such as design, lighting, sound, movement, context, relevance, etc – to give them a holistic approach to understanding theatre. Finding the language to share their views uninhibitedly and learning to listen and accept the views of others with an open mind will form the core of the sessions. Participants will be guided beyond simply ‘liking/disliking’, and trained to articulate what aspects of the performance affected them strongly, and why. By understanding their role as ‘active audiences’, by figuring out how meaning-making takes place, and by learning how to offer constructive criticism, participants will be able to form deeper links between the art they watch and the life they live.

Shaili Sathyu

Shaili Sathyu Shaili Sathyu is the Artistic Director of Gillo Repertory Theatre, an organization that specializes in Theatre for Young Audiences. She has directed and produced more than 20 plays for different age groups. Since 2003, she has conducted theatre workshops for children and teachers across India, including schools and arts centres. She is a recipient of the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar from the Sangeet Natak Akademi and the ‘Young Turk of Theatre in Mumbai’ award from Rage Productions.

About the Webinar

What does performance-making for toddlers entail? What should theatre practitioners bear in mind when dreaming up and creating pieces for young minds in whose lives speech is yet to emerge? Among the foremost ‘theatre for children’ practitioners in the country, Shaili Sathyu and Sananda Mukhopadhyaya share their thoughts, processes, and experiences in this webinar for theatre practitioners and parents.

Sananda Mukhopadhyaya

Shaili Sathyu

Shaili Sathyu is the Artistic Director of Gillo Repertory Theatre, an organization that specializes in Theatre for Young Audiences. She has directed and produced more than 20 plays for different age groups. Since 2003, she has conducted theatre workshops for children and teachers across India, including schools and arts centres. She is a recipient of the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar from the Sangeet Natak Akademi and the ‘Young Turk of Theatre in Mumbai’ award from Rage Productions.

About the Webinar

There's no doubt that screens have made life more convenient in a lot of ways, but there's also no denying the impacts that increasing screen time is having on our children! How do parents navigate this tricky necessity? Join us in a webinar that addresses the impacts of challenges and screen time on children as observed by a mental health professional, educator, and 'theatre for young audiences' presenter through their interactions with children. Arundhati Nag moderates the conversations of an eminent panel consisting of Ms Anupama Ramachandra (Principal, DPS Electronic City), senior psychiatrist Dr. Shekhar Seshadri (NIMHANS), and Ms Ruchira Das (Founder, ThinkArts).

Ruchira Das

Ruchira (Das) took an early decision to quit her corporate career and follow her heart to be with the arts. After 15 years of experience of working with various arts organisations across cities in India, in Dec 2013, she founded ThinkArts, inspired by the integral role that the arts played in the lives of her two homeschooled daughters. Ruchira also works as an independent artist and has designed activity trails for young visitors at Museums, facilitated participatory art projects with young people and created a sensorial exhibition for toddlers. While she continues to be a mentor at ThinkArts, she now works as the Artistic Director, Arthshila, a multi-art space coming up in Patna.

Anupama Ramachandra

Anupama Ramachandra is the Founder Principal of the Delhi Public School (Electronic City). With over 20 years of experience in teaching, she is a firm believer in reflective teaching and is a constant feature in educational webinars, having been a part of many especially centred on the improvement of teaching methodology and skillsets.

Dr. Shekhar Seshadri

Dr Shekhar is a child psychiatrist with over 35 years of experience in the field of child mental health. As Senior Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, NIMHANS, his work extends beyond the clinical population to children and child care institutions/ service providers across the country as well as the South Asia region. Some of his special areas of interest in child mental health are childhood trauma, gender and sexuality issues and life skill education. Also an artist and musician, he uses a number of creative methodologies in child mental health interventions including theatre and developmental approaches. Dr Shekhar has also undertaken many legal and policy-related initiative - he was a crucial part of the POCSO Act drafting process, an active part of the Juvenile Justice Act, a member of the working groups of the National Commission for the protection of the rights of the child, and the brain behind the NIMHANS-SAMVAD Project.

Arundhati Nag

Arundhati Nag is the founder of Ranga Shankara, one of the country's most prominent theatres. A veteran actress with over 40 years on stage and the big screen, Arundhati Nag is one of the few multilingual theatre artistes in the country, with a wide body of work across languages and genres on the stage. She is the recipient of several prestigious awards such as the Padma Shri, the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress, and the Sangeet Natak Akademi award. She is also on the board of trustees/ advisors of many eminent cultural institutions across the country.

About the Activity

The session is largely designed as a fun and imaginative indoor scavenger hunt! The game forces participants to get creative, think fast and act witty! Participants will share domestic objects from their lives and homes and use these household items to unlock their own dramatic potential! As cucumbers become dragons and grandma’s scarf transforms into a giant turban, players will unlock their ability to describe things dramatically and use their imagination playfully. The session will also include some fun body movement exercises which help with warming up, flexibility and physical expression.

Sujay Saple

Sujay Saple has been been teaching and working with children since 2006, most regularly with NCPA and Junoon in Mumbai and Ranga Shankara in Bangalore. As a freelance director, teacher, performer and designer, he comes with over eighteen years of experience in the performing arts field, having worked on more than fifty performance projects, touring all over India and internationally. He is Artistic Director of Shapeshift, a dance-theatre company with whom he has directed ten original works which have performed at prestigious venues and festivals and received rave reviews. Sujay was also the official English language speech coach for ‘TED Talks India – Nayi Soch’ in 2019. With his dynamic approach and hi-energy classes, he is regularly invited to conduct workshops for children, students and professionals at various institutions in India. His inspiration comes from working and growing with young people from diverse backgrounds, their imagination and openness.