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International theatre festival of solo acts

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Press Trust of India New Delhi
Last Updated : Oct 08 2014 | 2:25 PM IST
Award-winning and extraordinary solo performances by celebrated artists from UK, such as Guy Masterson, Robert Softley and Jaye Griffiths is set to enthrall audiences in four cities at a theatre festival that begins here tomorrow.
Titled "Going Solo" the festival celebrating one man acts and the skill of a single artist to hold an audience is back with a second edition across the cities of Delhi, Kolkata, Bangalore and Mumbai.
Actors such as Guy Masterson, Robert Softley and Jaye Griffiths who have also performed at one of the largest art fests in the world, Edinburgh Fringe Festival have been lined up to participate in the festival organised in association with the British Council.
Sanjoy Roy, MD of Teamwork Arts says it was in the Edinburgh Fringe festival that he encountered solo performances and ever since then he wanted to bring some of these performances to India.
"These performers were able to transport you in a little black space with minimal props and minimal costumes into another world through the magic of words and their incredible energy and performances," says Roy.
Doing a solo act gives these artists the privilege of having direct speech with the audience without any barriers.

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There is also no scope of a performance "post-mortem" as there is no one to discuss how the drama unfolded. It gives them the chance to test their abilities as an actor.
The line up includes two original plays "Don't Wake Me" and "If These Spasms could speak" which are stories of intense disability and the third is "Shylock", an adaptation of Shakespeare's "Merchant of Venice".
Guy Masterson, the artist behind "Shylock" feels that the character, oft misunderstood. Mesmerizing the audience at a preview held at Taj Mahal Hotel, the artist performed a short teaser dressed in a Jewish garb.
"I chose Shylock because he is a complex character, oft misunderstood, usually portrayed as a villain. I like the downtrodden, the unfortunates.
"At the end of it, Shylock is left with nothing; he has lost his religion, and his soul. There are comic elements to Shylock too, and that is a nice contrast with the darkness of the subject matter," says the Olivier Award-winning producer, actor, director and writer.

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First Published: Oct 08 2014 | 2:25 PM IST

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