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The New Year brings a festive offering from Jagriti. While the first play of the season was Lysistrata, a farcical Greek play done in Bangalore by local actors the second is an Internationally acclaimed play that is funny in parts but talks about a larger socio-economic malaise to which India is no stranger-Immigration and more specifically illegal immigration.

As Thespo 13 drew to a close on Sunday, it was a time to celebrate the best talent in theatre. The Thespo 13 Awards Nite — that marked an end to the six-day festival — was held at the NCPA Experimental Theatre. The evening started with Alyque Padamsee presenting the Lifetime Achievement Award to Arundhati and Jagdish Raja from Bangalore. The award acknowledged the Rajas’ undying passion for theatre and the fact that they had opened up the world of theatre to generations of young Bangaloreans — be it through their banner Artistes Repertory Theatre or the recent 200-seater Jagriti Theatre.

We have — after 30 years of producing, directing, casting, acting and staging nearly 70 plays in almost all the venues around Bangalore and in others in Indian cities and even as far as London, England — suddenly been transformed from theatre practitioners to administrators and managers; looking at P&L statements, business plans and marketing!.

It’s not that Bangalore has always been kind to theatre. But somehow the theatre lovers have always found a way to keep it alive — from a tangible perspective as well as getting people, sometimes even converting the philistines, to keep their faith in the arts alive.

Enjoy poetry, music, and comedy all under one roof with great ambience.