Prashanth Kumar Nair, founder Tahatto Theatre Group
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Two popular shows by Tahatto Theatre Group — Remember Remember and Love in the Cholera of Time have been staged in the city recently. Playwright and director of Tahatto Theatre Group, Prashanth Kumar Nair, says they were revived because of the positive reaction they received.
Audiences can catch both plays this weekend too. Remember Remember is a compilation of five fairy tales which are comedic, but also delve into complex human emotions. “One consistent feedback we got from the audience was that they found the play to be surprisingly emotional,” says Prashanth.
The other play, Love in the Cholera of Time, bends the linearity of time and contains Shakespearean fantasies of love. It has been staged in many cities across India, including Hyderabad, Delhi and Chennai. The plot revolves around lovers existing in different time periods, determined to make their relationship work.
According to Prashanth, “It is comforting to know that Love in the Cholera of Time resonates with others, and that they also feel a sense of being trapped in time.” The play is deeply imaginative, combining the past, present, and future, and while the audience usually takes a while to figure out what is going on, it keeps them hooked. The opportunity to briefly rip the fabric of time and meld different periods serves as a respite to anyone watching the play.
A still from Love in the Cholera of Time
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
What is so special about both of these plays is that “they provide a way to have a dialogue with the audience without having to spell things out,” says Prashanth. “In an age when we have so many isolated experiences such as shopping and consuming media, theatre gives us a collective experience.”
Tahatto was started by a few people who met at a workshop without prior theatre experience. Prashanth says when wrote his first play, A Funny Thing Called War, he was exhilarated by the prospect of having actors read out his dialogues and watching his writing come alive on stage.
Two shows of Remember Remember took place on September 15 at Ranga Shankara. The play was written in 2015, and has seen multiple performances since, so the team knows which parts work with an audience. Prashanth says, “The idea is still fresh and the cast does not feel like they have done this a thousand times.”
A still from Remember Remember
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
Growing up as a shy child who eventually took to the stage, Prashanth says he does not believe in holding auditions. “I would rather meet artistes, have conversations with them, and then, if we are on the same page take things forward.”
Prashanth’s plays stem from deeply personal experiences and he believes the audience relates to them as well. He also believes they are an actor’s pillar of support. “An audience does not come to watch you fail. They show up because they want to watch you succeed on stage.”
Tahatto Theatre also hosts fortnightly reading sessions in Indiranagar, where they welcome anyone interested in plays — amateurs and experts — to engage in an afternoon “with chai, snacks, and discussions about what we find interesting in the play we are reading,” says Prashanth.
One can follow them on Instagram (@tahatto_bangalore) for updates on reading sesions.
Love in the Cholera of Time will be staged on September 21, and Remember Remember on September 22 at Jagriti Theatre. Tickets available on Bookmyshow
Published – September 19, 2024 01:21 pm IST
Leave a Reply