FringeReview India 2024
Agleyum Cliyopatrayum
Lokadharmi (Kochi, India)
Genre: Dance and Movement Theatre, Experimental, Physical Theatre, Theatre, World Theatre
Venue: Shreeram Lagoo Rang–Avakash
Festival: FringeReview India, IAPAR India
Low Down
An experimental theatre show blending Indian ritualistic elements, physical theatre, music, and dance. An immersive experience that draws the audience into the emotional turmoil of denied love—a love that transcends the lives of two archetypal legendary women, touching mystical chords and capturing an unconscious essence that feels deeply feminine.
Review
Agleyum Cliyopatrayum was the first show in the official programme of the 2024 edition of IAPAR.
Before the show began, the director Chandradasan introduced the audience to the core elements of the production, which, in his own words, is an “experimental theatre show” blending Indian ritualistic elements (particularly from the Indian state of Kerala), physical theatre, music, and dance. The show is an immersive experience, drawing the audience into the emotional worlds of the two female protagonists: Cleopatra and Egle. Both characters are portrayed on stage by Arya M K, an accomplished dancer and Indian actress who excelled in depicting the emotional turmoil of two women representing ancient archetypes of the female experience.
While the story of Cleopatra, the beautiful queen of Egypt, and Marcus Antonius is widely known, the legend of Egle was unfamiliar to me. Also known as Egle, the Queen of Serpents, this character comes from Lithuanian folklore. In the fairy tale, young Egle, while bathing on the shore, meets Zilvinas, a Snake-God appearing as a handsome man. Falling in love with him, Egle decides to marry him and bears four children. However, years later, having had no news of her parents, Egle decides to visit her relatives with her children. Zilvinas asks Egle not to reveal his identity, but one of their children eventually divulges his name to Egle’s relatives, who then kill him. Upon returning to the shore where the Snake-God resides, Egle calls his name, but only foaming blood emerges from the sea. Hearing her dead husband’s voice and learning of his fate, Egle utters an enchantment that turns her children and herself into trees as punishment for betrayal.
Both stories centre on the emotional turmoil of denied love—a love that transcends the lives of these two women. For Cleopatra, her psychological suffering culminates in her decision to end her life after witnessing the fall of her beloved Marcus Antonius. In Egle’s case, she transcends her human nature by transforming into a tree.
The wave of emotions engulfing these two characters—ecstasy, exuberance, heartbreak, denial, anger, depression, and despair—is physically expressed by Arya M K, who portrays Cleopatra and Egle through a series of snapshots. She speaks in Malayalam (the official language of Kerala), with occasional lines in English.
It should be noted that Malayalam is not understood by most of the audience in Pune, who primarily speak Hindi or Marathi. The play is thus experienced primarily through its non-verbal and physical elements. The 60-minute performance is visually striking, at times evoking a mystical resonance, thanks to the original music composed by Salim Nair.
The stage area is marked by four tree trunks, with a traditional floor painting made of coloured sand, known as Sarpakalam, at its centre. This painting, depicting two giant cobras, is part of the Sarpam Thullal (Dance of Snakes) tradition—a unique mystical ritual from ancestral temples in Kerala. This spectacular ritual dance is typically conducted to appease snake gods and bring prosperity to participants.
As Cleopatra and Egle descend into their emotional abysses, the actress-dancer concludes the play by destroying the painting—a process of destruction and creation often seen in the stories of Hindu deities.
Overall, the performance was truly enjoyable, touching mystical chords and capturing an essence that felt deeply feminine. Arya M K embodied the flow of emotions, seamlessly transitioning from one to another, using her body and physical skills to immerse us in an emotional journey. The use of a language unfamiliar to most of the audience heightened the experience, appealing to the unconscious mind. This is not a play meant to be intellectualised but one in which we lose ourselves and let our souls resonate with the intensity of the female heart.
The experience was overwhelmingly rich, even to my Western eyes, imbued with Eastern content that was at times unfamiliar but fascinating. Bravo to Arya M K and the entire Lokadharmi team behind this production.
On a side note, during the performance, two painters positioned at opposite ends of the stage painted on canvases. I understand that for each staging of this play, the company invites two local artists (in this case from Pune) to create artworks inspired by their emotions during the performance. This was something I had never seen before. Unfortunately, the time available after the play ended was too short to hear from the artists about their experiences and feelings during the creative process. This would have been a valuable addition to the event.
Art serves as a messenger of emotions, and it often reveals more than our conscious minds can grasp, with the unconscious expressing itself in surprising ways.
About the company: Lokadharmi is a centre for theatre training, research, and performance, established in 1991 by a collective of theatre enthusiasts in Kochi, Kerala, India. Over the years, Lokadharmi has grown into a vibrant community of more than 500 artists from various parts of Kerala who share a passion for theatre. For more information about their work and productions, visit their website: https://lokadharmi.org/
