Team Mahaba, an organisation led by the students of Cultural and Creative Studies and the Department of English of NEHU, Shillong, yesterday put up a play ‘Shanga’ based on Shakespeare’s famous play, ‘The Tempest’.
Supported by INTACH and the Department of Culture of Meghalaya government, the script was developed by Abhirup Sarkar who had also directed the play.
Performed at Soso Tham Auditorium, the play earned applause and appreciation from the audience for being able to successfully contextualise the story against the backdrop of the Mawphlang sacred forest and also address the issues of ecology and dwindling social values.
The students displayed a well-coordinated effort in terms of acting, music, light and setting. Eva Kordor, Priyanka Deka, Sachiwatki Laloo, Ravi Shashank for their acting and Nelvy Gracia Majaw for the opening act could draw attention for their performances.
The final production of the play was preceded by a two-day Theatre Workshop conducted by the accomplished actor, director and theatre activist SatyakeeD’Com Bhuyan of Guwahati who had carried out intensely engaging sessions on various aspects of theatre and performance, stage management, physical improvisations, and several other vital aspects of total theatre.
The two-day workshop also had an interactive session with Damenshan Hynniewta, who had his theatre training in London and Wales, and noted theatre activist of Meghalaya Lapdiang A. Syiem, who is also an alumni of National School of Drama, New Delhi.
The other members who were part of the panels were Dr. William Westerman, from the University of the City of New Jersey, USA, Prof. Desmond Kharmawphlang, Prof. Jyotirmoy Prodhani, Prof. Mala Renganthan and Prof. Moon Mazumdar from NEHU who spoke at length on various dimensions of theatre in general and the Indian Theatre in particular.
