25th, Feb 2014
Kathmandu : Children today aren’t limited to just their books. Apart from the world of academics, children are trying to explore their skills in arts and crafts, dances and sports, among many others.
fWith an aim to bring out the actors in children, the Shailee Theatre jointly with the Russian Centre of Science and Culture is holding the fifth Children’s Theatre Festival 2014 that began at the Centre at Kamalpokhari on February 24.
Inaugurated by culture expert Satya Mohan Joshi, the first day of the festival staged a performance by Shailee Theatre. Explaining the importance of the event Joshi shared, “Such events are helpful for a child’s academic and cultural growth.”
Nabaraj Budhathoki’s Sunaulo Machha is a fairytale based on a poem by Russian poet and writer Alexander Pushkin translated into Nepali by Balram Aryal, which depicts the story of a proud wife of a fisherman, who without working wants to become the empress of the sea.
The fisherman goes with his net and fishing rod out to the sea but fails to catch any fish. However, he manages to hook a golden fish, which requests him to set her free. The kind-hearted fisherman does so and the indebted fish grants him a wish. But our fisherman does not have any wish that he wants fulfilled. When his wife hears this, she forces him to go and ask for a new bucket. He goes and gets his wish fulfilled. But his proud wife isn’t happy with this. She wants more. Her extreme desire makes the man unhappy but the fisherman does everything what his wife wants him to do. She wishes to become the empress of the sea and wants the golden fish to be his slave.
Can she fulfil her wish?
Manju Devkota in her role as the fisherman’s wife and Maharani has done justice to her double role — that of a poor woman and the queen. Her arrogance, her attitude, her nagging and her chasing her husband with the broom makes us feel that the girl is multitalented.
Abhay Bohara plays the role of Majhi Ba, a kind-hearted man who doesn’t even raise his voice at his wife. His fun-filled acts like being chased by his wife, and castigating his wife when she is asleep makes one laugh till it hurts in the belly.
The projector used for the scenes of sea, a new house and a palace makes you feel “Oh, this too can happen within a drama.”
Similar interesting plays will be staged at the Centre till March 2. Besides these plays there will also be Children Folk Games, Dance and Creative Movement Therapy, Talk with Celebrities, and talks about folklore and children.
Out of the ten dramas selected, six will be competing for the Best Acting, Best Direction and Best Drama.
