Theatre Productions
September 6, 2023 at Akshara Theatre, New Delhi | 7pm | Tickets
Jujhar Cheema is a Punjabi retelling of William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar by Boston based author & playwright, Sarbpreet Singh. Set in early 90s Punjab, when the violence was at its peak. The play draws heavily upon research into that turbulent period, little understood to this day, when political intrigue, a shadowy militant movement, a corrupt and ruthless police force, and an emboldened criminal element swirled together to create an unholy mix of treachery and violence
Design & Direction: Kuljeet Singh
Running Time: 120 mins | Language: Punjabi | Performances: | Year: 2023
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Chai-Kahaani | Premiering on August 19, 2023 at Akshara Theatre, New Delhi
Chai is not just a beverage... it's an emotion, a profound feeling connected with moments, thoughts, ideas, conversation & memory. Dwelling on these lines, the two storytellers would carefully craft nine bhavas, through stories around chai, thereby arousing the nine rasas. The 75-minute performance brings forth stories in the form of snippets and vignettes from one's daily life, where chai is the principal driving force, the protagonist.
As the story progresses, the audience would be urged to think what chai means to them, exploring those intricate feelings around chai that one never pays attention to.
Storytellers: Gaurav Suri & Preetika Grover | Music: Udit Khattar & Suhavi Kalsi
Writers: Vaibhav Mishra and Mansi Grover
Director: Kuljeet Singh, Vaibhav Mishra, Mansi Grover
Running Time: 75 mins | Language: Hindustani | Performances: | Year: 2023-
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Coming Soon...
Hamann Hai Ishq Mastaana is a collaborative project between Atelier Repertory & Maqsad, a music group from Rajasthan. The musical theatre production will look at the life and dohaas (verses) of Kabir Sahab and what he offers in today's world of hatred and polarization. The first set of work-session for three days happened in May 2023 at Meraki Creative Residency, Chail, Himachal Pradesh, India.
Running Time: mins | Language: | Performances: | Year: 2023
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Sher-E-Shamsheer: Guru Tegh Bahadur was a remembering-performance around life and martyrdom of the ninth Sikh Guru, Tegh Bahadur on his 400th birth anniversary. Musically charged in a daastaangoi style, the premiere performance happened at Rajouri Garden, New Delhi.
Script & Direction: Kuljeet Singh
Running Time: 60 mins | Language: Hindustani | Performances: 1 | Year: 2023-running
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Daastaan-E-Guru Nanak is a musical daastaan about the life, journeys and teachings of Baba Nanak, the spiritual guide, traveller and philosopher. The performance looks at the idea of Oneness Baba Nanak proposes with his verses.
The Daastaango (storytellers) narrate and sing simultaneously and create an intimate milieu of divinity and soulful togetherness.
Daastaango: Gaurav Suri & Udit Khattar | Written & Direction: Kuljeet Singh
Running Time: 80 mins | Language: Punjabi; Urdu; Hindi & English | Performances: 150 | Year: 2019-running
Perfect Wedding
Loosely adapted from Robin Hawdon's comedy with the same name, is a racy comedy around this couple which is going to get married in two hours. Groom's Friend and his Girlfriend add to the situation, which leads to humorous angles. What leads is nothing less than a laugh riot.
Invited to Dubai, UAE, along with other cities across India, the production got discontinued due to pandemic.
Director: Kuljeet Singh
Running Time: 80 mins | Language: Hindi, Punjabi & English | Performances: 10 | Year: 2019-running
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Chaar Chullh
ROADIES | SANDAAS | CHAI |DAARU
Extreme passion leads to madness. It’s hilarious. And it’s us. Chai, Daaru, Roadies & Sandaas are four theatrical sketches that showcase the same madness. Chai - a humorous love story about obsession; Daaru - an eclectic story about the obsession of Damu for his Daaru; Roadies - a journey of an aspiring roadie; and Sandaas - a take on a crucial aspect of everyone's life.
Four subsets of Atelier Repertory Company decided to explore the "chullh" (obsession) of their life and created Chaar Chullh, literally "Four Obsessions", an improvised piece. This was the last show by the Repertory in 2019 before the covid 19 lockdown. Mentored by Kuljeet Singh and produced by the Atelier Repertory Company.
Running Time: 130 mins | Language: Hindustani | Performances: 12 | Year: 2019-running
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Aashaad Ka Ek Dinn
The title of the play derives from the second verse of the Sanskrit dramatist Kalidasa's long lyric poem, Meghaduta. It means A Day in (the month of) Ashadh, usually the onset period of the monsoon in North India, the name can be understood to mean One day during the Monsoon.
Ashadh ka ek din is a three-act play centered on Kalidas' life. This classic by Mohan Rakesh, was directed by senior artist of Atelier Repertory Company, Vaibhav Mishra.
With a large cast, the production was premiered at Studio Safdar, Shadipur, New Delhi in 2019.
Running Time: 100 mins | Language: Hindi | Performances: 1 | Year: 2019
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Project Antigone is a multi-lingual/medial theatre production based on Jean Anouilh's reworking of Sophocles' Greek classic "Antigone".
Incorporating live painting, Indian classical music & contemporary poetry, PROJECT ANTIGONE is a political debate about the relationship between "State" & "Individual".
Metaphorically placed, Antigone, as a character, provides an alternative to Creon's "Idea" of life, which is cohesive, deeper & inclusive. The theatre production is not about protagonist-antagonist binaries and typed-eccentric-"absolutes", as seen in a lot or reinterpretations/re-imaginations of "Antigone". It rather attempts to look at Antigone on more human grounds.
Running Time: 50 mins | Language: Punjabi (Later in English) | Performances: 30| Year: 2014-running
Kuchh Afsaney, literally “Few Stories” is a collage of six short stories of Saadat Hasan Manto. For all six he was summoned, BU, DHUAN & KAALI SHALWAR (three times in India before 1947) & KHOL DO, THANDA GOSHT & UPAR NEECHE DARMIYAN (three times in Pakistan after 1947), are adapted and dramatized for stage. Scripted, written and created by Kuljeet Singh, the production was produced by Atelier Repertory Company (Atelier Theatre, New Delhi, India).
Interwoven with court proceedings culled from the other writings of Manto only, Kuchh Afsaney is attempted to provide a holistic view of him as a writer. While the endeavour was to create visuals corresponding to the literary style of Saadat Hasan Manto, the play, playfully argues the politics of censorship of the creative arts. This work of theatre explores shrieking silences, embedded in the economized expressions typically articulated in his inimitable style; and gory actions amidst the larger landscape of partition of India.
Running Time: 130 mins | Language: Hindustani | Performances: 40 plus | Year: 2014-running
Prithvi is a play about climate politics. Within the context of, as the deniers would call it, "natural calamity", the performance opens up a dialogue to do something about the situation/s we have created for our existence. Symbolical on one hand with Prithvi, the activist from Uttarakhand, daughter of Ambar & mother of Bhoomi, waging a war against the government-corporate nexus and real, on the other with situations from our surroundings.
Adapted from Extreme Whether by Karen Malpede, the play was commissioned by the American Center, New Delhi and travelled to Chandigarh & Lucknow, extensively.
Running Time: 60 mins | Language: Hindi & English | Performances: 30 | Year: 2017-running
Seekh Kabab
A stand-up comedian asks the audience the meaning of SEEKH KABAB. When unable to answer, he decides to teach them how to cook it. A few lovingly participate, others just observe, some mutely rejoice. There are a few who maintain distance while the cuisine is prepared. In this mad laughter of music and narratives, aroma of SEEKH KABAB magnetizes us all.
On this journey we meet several hilariously insane and pathetically sane characters in moments, sharing their tales with the audience, like never before. SEEKH KABAB is about that moment, when you will have a hearty laugh or may be a mild one or may be not!
Running Time: 80 mins | Language: Hindi | Performances: 12 | Year: 2014-15
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Collaborators
Kranti, the protagonist of the play COLLABORATORS by Ramu Ramanathan is an outsider, struggling to negotiate with the conflict which is haunting him since the D-Day at Faizabad…the dead body and the red ants…
He is posing the question again, “Is there a sense in raising the question?...Is there anything worth fighting for?...Is this fighting meaningful?”…and all this while the game of bridge continues, where saying “pass” seems to be more meaningful…
This production was a part of third episode of Atelier's Performing Series focussing on Ramu Ramanathan's work.
Running Time: 100 mins | Language: English | Performances: 4 | Year: 2014
Baaki Itihaas Part of Atelier's Performing Series - II around the works of Indian Bengali playwright of Third Theatre fame, Badal Sircar, the classic play exploring the history of humankind was performed at LTG, Mandi House, New Delhi with a diverse cast and crew. The play could only survive 5 shows. Design & Direction: Kuljeet Singh
Running Time: 90 mins | Language: Hindi | Performances: 4 | Year: 2013
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Saari Raat is the story of a single night and three characters: a husband, a wife & an old man, written by Badal Sircar in Bangla (Bengali), translated in Hindi by Pratibha Agarwal, the text could read at various levels from the intimate story to the inner discoveries.
Design & Direction: Kuljeet Singh
Running Time: 90 mins | Language: Hindi | Performances: 4 | Year: 2013
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Short Circuit All is set with Anirban and his girl friend Simar at Vasant Kunj. They are preparing to welcome guests who are personally and professionally important: Simar’ father who will approve Anirban for their marriage & Hussain, who will buy Anirban’s artwork.
Lights off…
What happens from here is a set of mistakes which will take you on a 100 meter sprint of laughter, fun and never-ending smile.
Running Time: mins | Language: | Performances: | Year: 200
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Refund
Arihant Mishra is a loser. One fine day, accidentally he meets his best friend. Arihant asks a question. Friend laughs. The friend tells Arihant to go to his school and ask for the fee refund. Arihant has decided. Rest is something to watch and savor.
Adaptation of Fritz Karinthy's text with the same name, this became a very successful play and travelled across North India.
Running Time: 50 mins | Language: English & Hindi | Performances: 10 | Year: 2016
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Khusar Phusar At its start, several affluent couples gather in the posh suburban residence of a couple for a dinner party celebrating their hosts' first anniversary. When they arrive, they discover there are no servants, the hostess is missing, and the host has shot himself through the earlobe. Comic complications arise when the guests decide they need to do everything possible to conceal the evening's events from the local police and the media.
Performed by various artists during its long shelf life, the performance was invited by Indian Army to Gaeity Theatre, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India. Director: Kuljeet Singh
Running Time: 90 mins | Language: Hinglish | Performances: 150 plus | Year: 2012-running
The Zoo Story is an adaptation of Edward Albee's play with the same name by Kuljeet Singh, Creative Director of Atelier Theatre. Situated the context in New Delhi's Central Park, Connaught Place, the two principal characters, Jerry (Sumedh) & Parth (Tushar) were woven into the Indian sensibility of absurd & absurdity. Started with the show at the American Centre, New Delhi, the play travelled far and wide including MICA, Ahmedabad & Ahmedabad Theatre Festival.
Performed by Sumedh Sachdev & Tushar Dhandhiyal, the production was managed by Chandan Kumar. Sounds Design: Sudhir Rana. Adaptation, Design & Direction by Kuljeet Singh
Running Time: 90 mins | Language: Hinglish | Performances: 50 plus | Year: 2012-15
Laughter On the 23rd Floor Written by Neil Simon, this production was a part of a three-play festival called Teen Natak (Three Plays) organised by Atelier Repertory Company & partially supported by the American Center, New Delhi in February 2012. Inspired by the playwright's youthful experience as a draft writer on Sid Caesar's Your Show Of Shows, the production had a brief shelf life and was performed in New Delhi, only.
Running Time: 80 mins | Language: English | Performances: 5 | Year: 2012-2013
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GOD Woody Allen's 1975, GOD, the one act play was commissioned by the American Center, New Delhi and was performed twice at the Center only. Directed by Lalima Chhabra & Abhishek Kumar, the production was well received by the audiences.
The setting is an ancient Greek amphitheatre, circa 500BC. Diabetes, an actor, and Hepatitis, a writer, sit on stage lamenting about how Hepatitis' new play lacks a good ending. They begin to frequently break the fourth wall, interacting with the audience and making note about how they are fictional characters in a play. Hepatitis asks if anyone has a major in philosophy, resulting in an audience member named Doris Levine joining the action on stage, while Diabetes calls the play's author Woody Allen for advice on how to proceed.
Running Time: 70 mins | Language: Hindi | Performances: 1 | Year: 2011
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SUS Barrie Keeffe's SUS was adapted for Delhi stage by Rajiv Ashish and was performed at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi.
A man is taken into custody on the pretext of a crime which he hasn't committed. He is been violated, abused and brutally beaten, only to know that he is innocent.
Running Time: 70 mins | Language: Hindi | Performances: 1 | Year: 2008
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Mathematics of Being Human
Can the precision of poetry match the precison of an equation?
Bestselling novelist and mathematician Manil Suri teams up with Washington, DC’s Folger Theater dramaturge Michele Osherow to create a provocative classroom drama that explores the nexus between Mathematics and the Humanities.
In The Mathematics of Being Human, an English professor and a Mathematician, forced to co-teach a seminar at an American university, find themselves increasingly locked in a battle between their disciplines, despite their efforts to find common ground. Fireworks fly as they pit precision against poetry, fractals against Shakespeare. It is only the intervention of the students, who put on a mathematically inspired version of King Lear, that saves the day.
The Mathematics of Being Human vividly brings both Shakespeare and Mathematics to life, while showing how two very different ways of thinking can profoundly shape our understanding of what it means to be human.
Running Time: 70 mins | Language: English | Performances: 2 | Year: 2016
Degho Tegho Fateh
Running Time: mins | Language: | Performances: | Year: 200
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Daastaan-E-Punjab
Running Time: mins | Language: | Performances: | Year: 200
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Goodbye Blue Sky Original script by Atelier, Goodbye Blue Sky probed the nature of violence generally on one hand and in India, specifically. Mapped the violent history from partition of India to 1984 anti Sikh genocide and further, this was the first production by Atelier, developed, designed and directed by Ravi Shankar & Kuljeet Singh. Rajiv Bawa mentored the process and translated the songs as well. After several shows in New Delhi (2004 onward), the show discontinued.
Running Time: 70 mins | Language: Hindustani | Performances: 60 plus | Year: 2004-2009
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