AH LOVE! COULD THOU AND I WITH FATE CONSPIRE TO GRASP THIS SORRY SCHEME OF THINGS ENTIRE, WOULD NOT WE SHATTER IT TO BITS — AND THEN RE-MOULD IT NEARER TO THE HEART’S DESIRE!
Bhoomika believes that, “more than entertainment, theatre illuminates, moves, disquiets, disturbs, lifts the spirit, reveals, provokes and violates conventions.” Our efforts are an ongoing conversation with the society since 1989. It has been a search for new grammar suiting the needs of the ever changing society and to retain the relevance and the need of theater to the society. In these few decades of journey, Bhoomika has worked with many sections of the society, such as :
Of course, we have produced over 100 plays in Hindi, Telugu and performed across the nation. In addition to a lifetime of experiences, travails, adventures and uninhibited fun, we have many awards in prestigious festivals to cherish. Bouquets, brickbats, sniggers, claps, pats on the back, empty auditoriums, standing ovations, awards and . . . . . .silences – Bhoomika endured and enjoyed them all.
It is a story telling theatre for children below 6 years. Traditional folk stories were adapted for theatre and narrated as a solo shows - with four story tellers. Three stories in Telugu and one in Hindi. Out of the three Telugu stories one is from Korean folk tales
In the name of educating a parrot Tagore shows the flaws in the present day education system and the society in general. The play is designed with gibberish and musical sounds produced by the participating actors, with minimal dialogue.
It is based on a traditional children’s story. In fact it is the first ever story told to a child in Telugu culture. The target audience are children below 5 years. It is a chain story with interesting twists and turns which feeds to the imagination of the tiny tots.
Gopatrudu a novel written by KNY Patanjali, a well known Telugu writer and a journalist known for his human and satire. Set in a rural back ground is a pungent satire on present day political and social system. The novel is dramatised
Mahasutha Soma Jataka, the last tale of Jataka tales, written centuries ago lends itself so aptly to comment about the present day social situation. The story is dramatized, without any significant changes, to make a serious critique of the present day politics. Set in the ancient times, using powerful music and imagery , the play had impressed the audience, both literate and illiterate.
Bhoodevi, the Goddess Earth asks a boon from Lord Siva, to see that there is no crime committed on earth. And Siva allows it and total chaos ensues on the earth, where the entire machinery is oriented at crime and prevention. The play done in a folk format is a satire on the contemporary society, where crime is rule than an exception.
The play “ The Man Who Came to Dinner” written by Hart and Kaufman is adapted and staged in the year 1993.The play was popular success at that time. The play is revived and successfully staged at Hyderabad in February 2006
Mahaswetha Devi’s story “ Behula Ek Nadir Naam” is dramatized and directed by Sri Swapan Mondal. The play deals with the tribal people, who are being exploited by the non tribal money lenders. The play is performed in the month of July 2006. at Rail Nilayam is appreciated by one and all. The play done in Hindi is later performed at ELS / Lalaguda open air auditorium.
Udutha Ramayanam is based Sri BV Karanth’s kannada play. Ramayana from the point of view of a udutha (squirrel), who helps Rama in her own humble way to build the bridge on the ocean to reach Lanka to defeat Ravana. The play comments about the plight of the children and the pressures the parents exert on the children
The play is produced with financial assistance from Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India. It is done with inputs from Veedhinatakam, a popular folk theatre form of AP. Droupadi Vastrapaharanam the episode of Mahabharatham is reinterpreted from a feministic point of view.
Hattamala ke Us Paar is adapted in to Telugu. The play is staged in rural areas of AP. Not only the play is thoroughly enjoyed by the people but it initiated a debate among them.
The play is commissioned by People’s Initiative Network, an NGO, working with slum dwellers of Twin Cities. Folk tale is adapted to express the problem of displacement of the slum dwellers by the city fathers. The play is the product of a workshop with slum dwellers.
An Adaptation of Brecht’s “Exception and the Rule”. The songs in the play are set to some popular tunes from Telangana region of Andhra Pradesh.
The production is done by adopting some folk elements of Chindu Bhagotham, a vibrant folk form of Andhra Pradesh.
An adaptation of Slavomir Mrozec’s polish play “Martyrdom of Peter Ohey” is about the relation of an average citizen vis-à-vis the Government. It is one of the important productions of the group.
Gudipati Venkata Chalam is one of the greatest Telugu writers. His literature is known for his concern for women. “Aruna” a novel, one of his important works is adapted to stage and made into a successful production.
A touching play about poor rural folk dealt in a lighter vein written by Ganesh Pathro is adapted into Deccani dialect, spoken in Hyderabad.
Bharatendu Harischandra has written the play during the days of freedom struggle. In this play a popular folk tale is very successfully used to ridicule the foreign rule. The present production successfully attempted to reinterpret the play to the contemporary audience.
A very popular Telugu play written by Ganesh Pathro is about family planning. The target audiences for this play are the under privileged section of the rural society. The script and the deft handling of the production have succeeded in getting the message through.
The play aims at propagating better awareness about industrial safety among workers. The production’s novelty is its innovative use of communication skills of performers through their bodies and voices. The popular folk tunes used in the play’s narration has added to the production’s richness.
A person after leading a very active life for 58 years, suddenly feels useless, ignored and depressed after his retirement from his employment. The play is set in a realistic locale and dealt in a lighter vein.
“Manus Navanche Bet” is one of the earlier plays of Vijay Tendulkar. It was adapted into Telugu 3 decades ago. A touching play about an average youth’s struggle to live fighting against so many odds.
Produced under Sangeetha Nataka Akademi’s scheme of “Assistance to Young Theatre Workers”, the play is a pungent comment on the public institutions like Judiciary, Executive, Legislature… which lost their relevance to the common man. The play extensively used the folk tunes popular in Telangana region of Andhra Pradesh.
An adaptation of Vijay Tendulkar’s Marathi play “Pahije Jathiche” is the first major production. The play performed in non realistic and functional set, is about the struggle of the youth trying to adjust and succeed in a society with its archaic beliefs and norms.