Photo Flash: Mashi Theatre presents TALES OF BIRBAL

As India celebrates 70 years of independence, Mashi theatre look further back in history, a time of magic, mysticism and storytelling. Tales of Birbal brings fables handed down generation to generation across the Indian sub-continent to stages across the UK for families of all backgrounds.

Mashi and Bhanji are travelling story-tellers, living hand-to-mouth with just a wooden cart, trinkets they have collected on their travels, and a family of mischievous crows for company. Stopping one day for lunch, they recreate mythical tales of the great Mughal King Akbar and his wise companion, Birbal. How can a man survive a night in a freezing lake? How many crows are there in a kingdom? Only Birbal knows! Using humour, puppetry, music and the occasional fake beard, Mashi and Bhanji bring to vivid life these famous tales that have been treasured for generations.

Mashi Theatre was established in 2013 to present high quality diverse work within the performing arts, particularly for young people. A 'Mashi' in the Asian culture meaning 'aunt' not necessarily a blood relative; a playmaker, confidante, keeper of stories and teller of tales.

Artistic director Trina Haldar moved into theatre following a short career in science/engineering, via First Stage, Live and Direct, Design Direct, DirectorsLab (Chicago) & ASSITEJ (Berlin), The Optimist (China Plate, Establishing networks and Producing skill) and Step Change (National Theatre) and most recently she attended The Clore Short Course. Trina is a respected expert in the field of diversity in the arts with a young people's focus and has spoken on numerous panels across the UK. As a director credits include productions at Curve Theatre, Nottingham Playhouse, Tara Arts, Soho Theatre and recently Prithvi Theatre in Mumbai. Internationally, Trina has links with Affro Reggae (Rio, Brazil) and Te R?kau Theatre (Wellington, New Zealand) and more recently was awarded the International Artists Development Fund to create work with Thespo Theatre in Mumbai and establish connections with organisations across India. Trina is on the board of experimental children's theatre company Theatre-Rites.

Musical Director Arun Ghosh is a British-Asian clarinetist, composer and music educator. He was the winner of Jazz Instrumentalist of the Year 2014 in the APPJA / Parliamentary Jazz UK Awards and Musician in Residence 2014 in Wuhan, China in association with PRS for Music Foundation and the British Council. Ghosh was also one of the BT Celebrity Storytellers for the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics and appeared as a featured artist with his Arkestra Makara pan-Asian chamber orchestra, for the BT River of Music Festival as part of the 2012 Cultural Olympiad. He has internationally toured twice as part of the Take Five initiative, been an associate artist at the Albany and artist in residence for the Southbank's Alchemy Festival.

Photo Credit: Pamela Raith Photography

Tales of Birbal. Pamela Raith Photography.
Tales of Birbal. Pamela Raith Photography.
Tales of Birbal. Pamela Raith Photography.
Tales of Birbal. Pamela Raith Photography.
Tales of Birbal. Pamela Raith Photography.
Tales of Birbal. Pamela Raith Photography.
Tales of Birbal. Pamela Raith Photography.
Tales of Birbal. Pamela Raith Photography.
Tales of Birbal. Pamela Raith Photography.
Tales of Birbal. Pamela Raith Photography.
Tales of Birbal. Pamela Raith Photography.
Tales of Birbal. Pamela Raith Photography.
Tales of Birbal. Pamela Raith Photography.
Tales of Birbal. Pamela Raith Photography.