2nd Mandala International Youth Theatre Festival 2011 25th-30th November 2011

Kathmandu

Narrative Report Mandala Theatre Nepal has successfully organized its ambitious project 2nd Mandala International Youth Theatre Festival 2011 from 25-30th November at Russian Centre of Science and Culture. The festival, as a hallmark of Nepali Theatre Movement, got a huge applause and wide responses. The cooperative partners of the Festival were Russian Centre of Science and Culture and Mahendra Golchha Memorial Trust. Similarly it was supported by Nepal Tourism Year 2011 Secretariat, Nepal Tourism Board, Nepal Academy of Music and Drama and National Derivative Exchange Limited (NDEX). Press Conference

Mandala Theatre, on the eve of Festival Opening, organized a press conference to release the basic information of festivals. Through the occasion Rajan Khatiwada as the Festival Director explained the significance of festival in current situation. The press conference was held at Russian Centre of Science and Culture and attended by different media representatives and organizing committee.

The Inauguration Ceremony

2nd Mandala International Youth Theatre Festival 2011 was jointly inaugurated by 11 youth theatre directors. Rajan Khatiwada, the festival director gave a welcome speech to all participants, audiences, supporters and well wishers.

Performances

On the occasion of the festival Nepali audiences got the chance to watch different 11 performances representing from national and international levels. Curly Hair by Mandala Theatre and The Clever Boy and the Demon by Mithila Natya Kala Parisad (MINAP) were performed on the first day of festival. The plays were directed by respectively Dayahang Rai and Anil Chandra Jha. Both of the performances were watched by 250 audiences.

Shailee Theatre showcased their play Sarkari Nirikshyak (The Government Inspector) on the 2nd day of the festival. The play was written by Nikolai Gogol and directed by Nabaraj Budhathoki. On the same day evening Moscow Academy of Dance Theatre “Gzhel” performed their famous Russian Ballet. Directed by Vladimir Jakharov, the performance got huge run of applauses from the audiences.

Inter Act Art, a famous Sri Lankan Black Box Theatre Company, performed their experimental play Caged on the third day of the festival. Caged was a directional credit of M. Safeer. Nine artistes of the play succeed to drag the

attention of audiences. The second performance of the third day was Samjhouta by Ahuti Natya Akademi, India. Directed by Pravin Kumar Gunjan, the play won the heart of aesthetic play viewers.

Miss Margarida, a play presented in the festival by Aarohan Gurukul was being showcased on the fourth day. Sarita Giri, as Miss Margarida on stage carried the audiences an hour. The play was directed by

Morten Krogh, a renowned Norwegian Theatre Director and written by Roberto Athayde. The play was translated in Nepali by Jibnath Lamsal. Russian Ballet was performed again in the festival on its’ fourth day evening. Due to the wide demand of audiences Mandala Theatre arranged dual performance of Russian Ballet.

On the fifth day of the festival there was a performance by IATA. Mrityuma Padhneharu (Education by Others’ Death) was a play produced

by IATA and directed by Rajan Upreti, an active Nepali theatre artist. On the same day evening Theatre Centre for Children, Bangladesh performed their play Duratta. A play written in GRIPS method, Duratta was written by Junaid Eusuf and directed by Debaprosad Debnath.

Lalith Athulathmudali College Drama Club, Sri Lanka performed their play Muppet and the Child as the first performance of the last day of the festival. A directional credit of Chamika Hathlahawaththa, the play chronicled the tragic story of the youth turning into mentally imbalanced individuals due to the education system. The last performance of the

festival was Poolbata Herda (A View from the Bridge). The play was produced by Free Lancing Group, Nepal and directed by Eelum Dixit.

All of the performances of the festival were viewed by no less than 250 audiences.

Closing Ceremony

In the closing ceremony of 2nd Mandala International Youth Theatre Festival 2011, Mandala Theatre Nepal recognized six elder theatre directors of Nepal for their longstanding contribution towards Nepali Theatre. Ashesh Malla, Sunil Pokharel, Bijay Bisfot, Birendra Hamal, Ramesh Ranjan Jha and Anup Baral were

honored with Ranga Srasta Samman. All of the recognized persons received recognition letter and Khada by their fellow theatre artistes.

Similarly, Mandala Theatre Nepal recognized two youth theatre artistes for their restless deeds in Nepali Theatre. Sarita Giri and Ashant Sharma were honored with Mandala Yuwa Samman. They were honored by Nisha Sharma, a leading lady theatre artist of Nepal. Each of the two youth theatre artistes received NRs. 5,000 along with the recognition letter and Khada.

The Closing Ceremony was attended by colleges and university students, teachers, theatre practitioners, artistes, cultural activists, writers, media persons, political activists and theatre audiences. Staniflav Simakov, the Director of Russian Centre of Science and Culture gave a speech in the ceremony. Rajan Khatiwada thanked all the participants, audiences, supporters, sponsors and well wishers. Dayahang Rai, Chairman of Mandala Theatre Nepal wrapped up the festival through a short speech.

There was a small reception party for all invitees on the opening and closing ceremony of the festival.

Other Activities:

Mandala Theatre had managed a day city tour for every foreign participants of the festival. They visited some of the major historical places of Kathmandu like Swyambhu, Bhaktapur Pashupatinath, Durbar Square and Nagarkot.

Mandala Theatre had published 1000 festival booklets, more than 5000 pamphlets and 2000 festival posters. Similarly it had published 20 flexes of festival which were circulated in the city for its promotion. We had printed more than 3500 tickets.