The highlight of the Mumbai theatre calendar in November is undoubtedly the Puppet Theatre Festival. Acts from all over India and the globe will feature in the five-day festival which will be held at the Prithvi Theatre in North Mumbai and the Experimental Theatre in the National Centre for Performing Arts in the south of the city.
Cultural organisations like the British Council, the Alliance Francaise and the Max Mueller Bhavan are helping out with sponsorship of British, French and German acts respectively. Many of the acts will be suitable for children, needless to say, but there will also be performances which are oriented to a more mature audience. Puppet theatre is an art form in decline in many parts of India, being forced out by the incursion of television. The festival provides enthusiasts with an idea of precisely what is at stake.
The Prithvi Theatre Festival is an annual event and has a different theme each year. It is the brainchild of proprietor Sanjna Kapoor, who has done a tremendous amount for the cause of good theatre in Mumbai.
The Prithvi Theatre Festival is an annual event and has a different theme each year. It is the brainchild of proprietor Sanjna Kapoor, who has done a tremendous amount for the cause of good theatre in Mumbai.