Review: THE DIVINE LEELA at Metamorphosis Theatre And Films

Cast: Rekha Shetty, Ashmita Sunil, Omkar Bhatkar, Manahar, Nikhil Verghese 
Director: Omkar Bhatkar 

I had the opportunity to witness the “experience” of the Divine Leela at the Little Theatre, NCPA, last weekend. The playbill hinted that the play is a meditation on the rhymes and verses of Indian philosopher Narayana Guru. I was excited to watch this production as the Metamorphosis Team has always had a keen interest in philosophical interpretations in their productions. 

The mise-en-scèn comprised three gentlemen, sitting with a collection of Narayana Guru’s six verses, one of them accompanied by a guitar. Later, they were joined by two women, one wearing a traditional mundu and the other dressed in the attire of a Mohaniattam performer. The recital started slow, first came the guitar strings by Nikhil Verghese, followed by the brief prelude and narration of Narayana Guru’s verses by Omkat Bhatkar. Finally, the dancers broke free from their still forms and joined them in depicting the symbolic and aesthetic world of Narayana Guru’s verses. 

The music built the atmosphere and it was hard to tear one’s gaze away from Ashmita Sunil, the Mohaniattam performer’s expressive eyes. Moreover, Bhatkar and Manahar were eloquent in their narration as well. However, despite the perfect elements in place, the play lacked coherence and atmosphere. For a performance that arrived on the premise of a surreal experience, the play was steadfast in the present real world. The costumes were incoherent, the music sometimes had the cacophony of the contemporary in an otherwise ancient mise-en-scène. Furthermore, the dance performers were not in tandem with each other. However, in a few moments, some elements outshined others and enthralled the audiences. 
 

To post a comment, you must register and login.