Adishakti (Auroville, India) @ Holding Space : PFS5
5 to 7 Feb:
Source of Performance Energy workshop
(registration required)
5 to 7 Feb:
Movement Workshop for students of Dakshini Prayash (closed door)
Our opening week features the amazing Adishakti Laboratory for Theatre Art Research from Auroville. Founded by Veenapani Chawla in 1981, Adishakti believes that moving past disciplines out of their original contexts can reveal new, previously unrecognized elements. They view the contemporary performer as a critical interpreter who reexamines and expands upon traditional forms and stories. Their work spans both intercultural and intra-cultural spaces based on the subtle interconnectedness among diverse peoples, places, and knowledge systems, and engages with multiple disciplines. Adishakti productions vividly bring together dance, movement and emotional craft, integrated into one performance language. The company’s aesthetic concerns are centered on creating and nurturing these mixed or hybrid spaces.
Public Engagements
5 to 7 February ’25 | Source of Performance Energy
an intensive workshop with Adishakti
The Urban Theatre Project
10 am – 1 pm
Workshop Fee: Rs. 3,000/-
(Rs. 2,000/- early bird offer till 19 January 2025)
This intensive workshop is ideal for those with some experience in dance and theatre. Drawing on Adishakti’s unique performance practice, participants will be trained in patterns of breathing to generate emotions, understanding the origin and energy of sound and voice in the body, and a conscious awareness of rhythm. More information here
8 February ’25 | Urmila
contemporary theatre performance from Auroville
G. D. Birla Sabhagar
7pm
Tickets: Rs. 700/- 500/- 300/- 200/-
Urmila is a thought-provoking play that delves into the complex ethical and gender-related issues that have been woven into the fabric of society throughout history. The play centres on the character of Urmila from the Ramayana, a woman whose life is dramatically altered by a seemingly innocuous command from her husband, Lakshmana: “Sleep, my sleep.” This deceptively simple directive raises profound questions about autonomy, consent, and the price individuals, especially women, have paid for their obedience throughout time.
Closed Door
18 & 19 February ’25 | Arts4All
a workshop with students of Dakshini Prayash
Dakshini Prayash
3.30 pm – 5.30 pm
In our continuing relationship with Dakshini Prayash, Adishakti will work with children from classes 7 to 9 in a three-day workshop exploring rhythm, movement and storytelling. This is part of our Arts4All programme geared towards NGO schools and marginalised communities.
Meet the Artists
Nimmy Raphel is a multifaceted talent. She is the Managing Trustee of Adishakti Laboratory for Theatre Art Research, an actor, musician, writer, teacher, practitioner-consultant, and director. Proficient in the forms of Mohiniattam and Kalaripayattu, she has appeared in numerous plays directed by Veenapani Chawla.
Nimmy’s creative footprint expands into the realms of writing and directing, with plays such as Nidrawathwam, Bali, and Urmila. As a teacher, she is a part of the team that designs and runs the sought after theatre workshops at Adishakti. As the Managing Trustee of Adishakti, she steers the institution and orchestrates the eclectic annual Remembering Veenapani Festival. As a consultant, she is invited to many universities where her plays are studied and debated by students.
