About The Event
King-Gandhi
We are back with another spectacular production, a play with music and dance, in honour of Gandhi Jayanti, which falls on the following weekend. The play tells the story of the Civil Rights Movement of America, which was deeply inspired by Mahatma Gandhi and India's Freedom Struggle.
The play has an epic sweep, taking the audience parallelly through the history of India and the United States of America from the mid-19th century to India's Independence, and, in the case of America, the culmination of the Civil Rights Movement.
The genius of the play is how the play's writer and director, Suranya Aiyar, has made this weighty history sit light as a feather through the astute use of music, dance, pantomime, and striking audiovisual clips, combined with enacted scenes.
The music is a medley of gospel, jazz, blues, and jazz interpretations of Gandhiji's favourite bhajans. The dance pieces are ballet, jazz, and contemporary. Vocals are by Suranya Aiyar in her deep, textured contralto, and Shirin David in her sweet, lilting mezzo-soprano. The musical line-up includes some famous songs by Nina Simone, Billie Holiday, and Hugh Masekela.
Nationally awarded actor Joy Sengupta, of Dance Like a Man fame, Rajesh Kumar of the well-known Urdu storytelling troupe the Dastangoi Collective, and the show's writer and director, Suranya Aiyar, appear in various engaging parts throughout the play.
King-Gandhi was performed to a packed house at Triveni Auditorium last Gandhi Jayanti, and is a treat for the eyes, ears, mind, and heart! Do not miss this joyful and enriching opportunity to remember the message of Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King at a time when it is more important than ever.
The play is in English and Hindustani, and is written to be fully intelligible to anyone with knowledge of either language.
