The Mahindra Excellence in Theater Awards (META) 2021 showcase some of the best plays in its online series
New Delhi: Over the years, META has given voice to diverse themes ranging from contemporary and pressing social issues, mythology, religion, gender, caste, politics, and classics, through the plays it has showcased.
META aims to increase awareness and appreciation of Indian theatre and is the only national arena for recognizing and rewarding the country’s best productions and theatre practitioners. Out of over 400 plays received every year, 10 are nominated to be staged over a week in Delhi and vie for the coveted awards. The Awards Night is awaited across theatre communities in the country, when awards in 13 categories and a Lifetime Achievement Award, are given out.
The Mahindra Excellence in Theatre Awards (META), now in its 16th year, continues to applaud the finest in Indian theatre and set benchmarks for excellence. Instituted by the Mahindra Group with the objective of becoming a significant platform for theatre across regions, states and dialects in India, META recognizes all aspects of the stage including playwriting, set, costume and light design, direction and performance.
The festival have presented seasons of meaningful theatre & many conversations around it. META 2021 is special, unique and much needed. Theatre helps us make sense of our reality and connects the dots in our minds. With the extended META online series of the audience have been able to witness some of the best META-winning and powerful plays every week along with searching conversations.
This weekend the festival will showcase I Don’t Like It, As You Like It – a play that juxtaposes the role of identity with the unique part clowns play in drama when they flit between onlooker and protagonist.
Conversation | June 18 | 6 PM IST
Rajat Kapoor, Aadar Malik, Faezeh Jalali, Rytasha Rathore, Cyrus Sahukar and Vinay Pathak Moderated by Puja Sarup
YouTube: https://youtu.be/YY88xYtY3ZA
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MahindraExcellenceInTheatreAwards/posts/4721818181164865
Play Screening | June 19 | 7 PM IST
YouTube: https://youtu.be/pe5ZXN4Wg4E
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MahindraExcellenceInTheatreAwards/posts/4721824581164225
This is an interesting take on the concepts of identity and relationships and how one affects the other through the tool of the play-within-a-play. A troupe of clowns has not been doing too well lately. Thanks to their spiraling financial status, their interpersonal relationships are awful with everyone hating each other. Amidst this turmoil, the director tries to put up a Shakespeare play and decides that the men will play women and women, men. The troupe manages to put up a show eventually, and discover a new truth: to really find ourselves, we must first become other people.