Play based on a story by Yuki Ellias
Script: Sneh Sapru

Conceived, Directed and Performed by Yuki Ellias 
A Dur Se Brothers Production

A quirky and modern reinterpretation of the story of Lord Ganapati

Chief Guest: Smt Rami Chhabra

Elephant in the Room
Master Tusk is a young boy, who has been given a new head ‐ an elephant's head. Confused and bewildered, he finds himself lost in the forest. Danger lurks at every turn. He encounters a motley couple - Makadi (spider) and Moork (poacher), a clumsy duo in search of a big‐ticket ransom. They kidnap Master Tusk, but their scheme goes awry when a prophecy is revealed and changes everything. Amidst a cursed love affair, an encounter with an eccentric old elephant and a hunt for a missing head, Master Tusk sets off on an adventure that changes his life. But will he be able to carry his head on his shoulders? Inspired by the world of Indian mythology, Elephant in the Room plays homage to the beloved God, Lord Ganapati, in this quirky and poignant reinterpretation of his story.

Recipient of three Mahindra Excellence in Theatre Awards – Lead Actor (Female); Light Design; and Costume Design 

Credits:

Story by Yuki Ellias 
Script by Sneh Sapru
Conceived, Directed & Performed by Yuki Ellias 
Costumes & Set Designed by Sumaiya Merchant
Lights Designed & Operated by Asmit Pathare
Sound Design by Seemingly That (Adriel George & Pruthu Parab)
    Sound Operated by Yael Crishna / Priyanka Babbar 
Executive Producer ‐ Niloufer Sagar
Live Show Photos by C. Ganesan / Rafeeq Ellias / Viraj Singh 

A Dur Se Brothers Production
Originally commissioned by The Prakriti Foundation for The Park New Festival 2016

About Yuki Ellias

Yuki is an actor, teacher, movement director and filmmaker. She studied theatre at the Jaques Lecoq International School for Theatre in Paris, and London International School of Performing Arts (LISPA). Yuki conducts training to various groups and practising actors in the creation of site-­‐specific devised interventions, corporates, and highly specific workshops for theatre professionals. Yuki worked as an actress in Tim Supple’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream touring for three years with the show to the UK, US, Canada, Australia and Italy. She has performed with various theatre companies in Mumbai including The Company Theatre, The Industrial Theatre Company and Q Theatre Productions. As a Movement Director she has worked with UK’s leading opera company, Opera North, on their 2007 production of Mozart’s Magic Flute. Yuki is a founding member of the innovative production company Dur Se Brothers, which has produced the successful shows Charge! and Yatagarasu.

PHYSICAL / WEBCAST  PROGRAMME

Choreographic work in Bharatanatyam presented by Vaibhav Arekar and artists of Sankhya Dance Company from Mumbai

Artists: Sushant Jadhav; Eesha Pinglay; Mrinal Joshi; Radhika Karandikar; Shruti Ranade; Anagha Harkare; Gautam Marathe; and Sachhidanand Narayankar  

Chief Guest: Shri N.N. Vohra, President, IIC

SHIVA….Facets of HIM

Sankhya Dance Company presents Shiva…Facets of HIM

Multiple choreographies woven together, Shiva interprets the male and female entities in the universe within the all-encompassing Shiva.

Shiva is nirguna-niraakara—or formless—but for mortals, he is perceived as saguna-saakaar—one with a form.

He is worshipped as   Ardhanarishvara (the form of Shiva–Parvati) and Hari-Hara (combined in the form of Shiva–Vishnu). HE is the only god who merges his identity into the concept of dual-principle godhead.

Shiva’s consort is the supreme untameable, universal energy, Shakti. Durga, the most splendid manifestation of Devi, has within her the power of all gods.

Nataraj—the cosmic dancer—represents the constant bio-dance of life-creation, sustenance and dissolution.

Presenting SHIVA—The Facets of Him

Vaibhav Arekar

Sankhya Dance Company, one of the leading dance companies from western India, was founded by Shri Vaibhav Arekar in 2009.  Sankhya’s forte is Bharatanatyam, and came as a natural extension of Vaibhav’s artistic vision to have a company of dancers who engage and invest purely in dance performances. He is one of the leading male Bharatanatyam soloists of India, and has trained under virtuoso teachers Smt. Saroja Srinath, Smt. Tangamani Nagarajan, and his mentor Dr. Smt. Kanak Rele. Vaibhav has done his B.F.A. and M.F.A. from Nalanda Nritya Kala Mahavidyalaya, where he also taught for 15 years. He was instrumental in designing the diploma and degree syllabi for Bharatanatyam for SNDT University, Mumbai. 

His collaborative work in the genre of theatre–dance has created some milestone productions. His presentations Shreemant yogi premiered in 2017; Naama mhane—an awakening premiered in 2016; and Trayyanta (solo and group) premiered in August 2014 have received high critical acclaim and are regarded as model thematic works in Bharatanatyam. Vaibhav’s solo works have seen over 25 performances. They include:  Venugaan (2021); Debotar Grash, a work based on Tagore’s poem (2012); and Narmade Har Har, in praise of river Narmada (2009). He has performed as a soloist in India and abroad, and impressions and experiences from dance performances across the world, along with his creative impulse, have influenced Vaibhav’s performance and choreography. An intense, calm and immersive approach is his signature style.