BandBazi Sustained Theatre network member BandBazi (www.bandbazi.co.uk) is working on a UK India collaborative project.
BandBazi have commissioned award winning playwright Tanika Gupta to write the play Mindwalking. It will be an exciting unique piece of circus theatre, combining evocative trapeze imagery and new writing. An elderly Parsee Indian man living in the UK has dementia, and has been placed in care home by his daughter. In his mind it is Bombay 70 years earlier and he has reverted to speaking his native Gujarati, while his family only speaks English. They have to find new, non verbal ways to communicate.
The Arts Council have funded the commission and it is hoped the production will tour in Autumn 2011.
In June 2 BandBazi’s Artistic Director Philippa Vafadari, the director John Binnie and Tanika visited Mumbai for an intensive 10 days with Q Theatre Productions (the co-producers) of workshops, research, and casting funded by The British Council’s Connections Through Culture programme. Quasar and Toral from Q Theatre Productions were the 'fixers' in Mumbai strategically arranging the meetings/ rehearsals / hospitality.
An exciting time was had exploring the world of Indian theatre and appreciating all the cultural differences. They had a very good meeting with film actor Naseeruddin Shah about the possibility of his involvement in the piece - depending on his schedule. You can read more about the trip on Philippa’s on Sustained Theatre blogs http://bit.ly/bdF7hr