 "Tennessee Williams, a German football film and a Calcutta photo exhibition to enliven your weekend")
Delhi
Theatre
Theatre for thought: Akshara Theatre will showcase “Kamla”, a play written by Vijay Tendulkar. “Kamla” sheds light on the changing role of women in society. The play is a realistic take on a true incident involving a journalist who bought a girl from a remote area and presented her at a press conference to expose the flesh market of Madhya Pradesh. The play expresses Tendulkar's grasp of the harsh realities in our social fabric and puts forward certain sensitive questions regarding the value system of the success-oriented, modern generation. Directed by Praveen Kumar, the play features Devesh Kumar, Jyotimala Tripathi and Raj Abhishek.
Where: Akshara Theatre, Connaught Place, New Delhi
When: December 19, 6:30 pm
The beautiful game: Goethe-Institut will screen “Lessons of a dream”, a 2011 German film directed by Sebastian Grobler, loosely based on the life of German football pioneer Konrad Koch. In the film, Koch, a young English teacher at a secondary school in late 19th century, introduces his students to the new sport of football to enthuse them for the English language and culture. The film stars Daniel Bruhl, Burghart Klaubner and Thomas Thieme.
Where: Max Mueller Bhavan , Goethe-Institut, Connaught Place
When: December 20, 4:30 pm
Art
A blend of architecture and nature: Lalit Kala Akademi presents “Intimate Expressions Of The World” a solo art show by Sarabjot Kaur Malik. An artist with a powerful backing in textile and dress-designing as well as grounding in drawing, Malik’s artworks are a blend of architectural structures and nature. She uses parts of buildings like arches, gates, roof corners balancing them with the flow and delicacy of trees and creepers that have caught her eye. The exhibition will be inaugurated by eminent art critic Suneet Chopra.
Where: Lalit Kala Akademi, Connaught Place, New Delhi
When: December 21-27, 11 am- 7 pm
Where: Art Heritage Gallery, Connaught Place, New Delhi
When: December 19-January 17, 11 am-7 pm
Italian Christmas feast: PizzaExpress is offering its customers a unique feast as a part of its Christmas celebrations. The festive food menu at its Christmas fare includes Formaggi Dough balls; a cheesy take on the brandâs famous dough balls - rolled and baked with emilgrana cheese; Melanzanine, a mini al forno dish of layered aubergine, PizzaExpress' unique recipe tomato passata, mozzarella, and emilgrana cheese; and for dessert, Snowball Doughballs, warm dough balls sprinkled with cinnamon and icing sugar.
Where: PizzaExpress, Ambience Mall, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi
When: December 23-January 4
Theatre
The lives of two geniuses: Bangalore Little Theatre is ending the year with “Partition”, a play based on the lives of two outstanding musicians of the 20th century – Srinivasa Ramanujan and GH Hardy. The play is being revived ten years after it was first staged in 2004. Ramanujan’s life sometimes reads like a fairy tale -- from a small town in South India, he overcame several barriers including extreme poverty to go to Cambridge where he created a stage for his mathematical genius. This would not have been possible without the generosity of GH Hardy, a great mathematician in his own right at Cambridge. They formed an incredible partnership that led to many wonderful discoveries nearly one hundred years ago, and play looks at episodes from the lives of these two remarkable geniuses.
Where: Alliance Francaise, Vasanth Nagar, Off Millers Road, Bengaluru
When: December 20 and 21, 3.30 pm and 7.30 pm
Info: Tickets (Rs 200) available on www.bookmyshow.com
Films
On becoming a "world class metropolis": Catch the India premier of "Our Metropolis", a film capturing the transformation of Bengaluru into a “world class metropolis.” The film looks at the changes of the city scape from 2008 to 2013: destruction of homes, proliferation of swanky malls and gated communities, and shrinking of green cover. It follows individuals, citizen groups, environmentalists and academics who challenge the atate's ideal of the city. The film, by Gautam Sonti and Usha Rao, has been screened at international film festivals at Busan and Dubai.
Where: Everest Talkies, Frazer Town (Opposite Bengaluru East station)
When: December 18, 7.30 pm
Art
Two views of the city: Two photo exhibitions by artistes in residence at the city showcase the time they spent there – while Nora Bibel's Family Comes First looks at the last joint families in the city, while Uwe Jonas finds creative expression for his concept through the ubiquitous “bindi”.
Where: 1, Shanthi Road, Bengaluru
When: On display till December 20
Dance
Dance therapy: Here's your chance to attend a guided dance session for non-dancers, irrespective of age or dance experience. Angela Boeti, an expert on dance pedagogy and therapy, will be taking the session. It will be based on dance improvisation and basic exercises from the Movement Ritual by Anna Halprin, the Laban Movement Analysis and Bartenieff Fundamentals.
Where: Natya & Stem Dance Kampni, 17th Cross, Malleshwaram, Bengaluru
When: December 20, 10.30 am
Info: To register, write to stemdance@hotmail.com
A holly jolly Christmas: Head to Monkey Bar for a whiff of nostalgia and generous helpings of Anglo Indian food. The Anglo Indian food festival, creatively titled Hobson Jobson, includes old favourites like Dak Bungalow Murgi Roast, Jalrezi, hotpot and chicken souffle. For dessert, choose from brown bread butter pudding, railway pudding and chocolate eclairs.
Where: Monkey Bar, Wood Street, Ashok Nagar, Bengaluru
When: Till December 30, lunch & dinner
(The festival is also on at the Connaught Place branch of Monkey Bar in Delhi, till December 25)
It's Christmas time: Christmas celebrations at Opus are under way with special menus and performances. The Christmas special special menu includes seared duck breast with orange sauce, wild mushroom risotto with truffle oil, Hunter's stew and several Goan classics. The season's special cocktails include mulled wine, Irish coffee, eggnog and hot toddy with rum or brandy. There will also be performances from 9 pm onwards on Christmas Day by Mark & Jude Lazaro Sheridian Brass, Sylvester Pradeep and Carlton Braganza.
Where: Opus, Palace Road, Bengaluru
When: On till December 31
Theatre
An illusion within an illusion: The Hive will showcase “The Two-Character Play”, a play written by Tennessee Williams. The characters in this play, Felice and Clare, are two actors on tour; they are also brother and sister. They find themselves deserted by their acting troupe in a decrepit “state theatre in an unknown state”. Faced by an audience expecting a performance, they enact “The Two-Character Play” – an illusion within an illusion, panic, and fear. The play is one of Williams' most personal and mystifying works.
Where: The Hive, Khar East, Mumbai
When: December 20, 6 pm and 9 pm
Deutsche art: Max Mueller Bhavan will showcase the monographic works of German artist Rosemarie Trockel. Her works confront the male artist-genius with feminine roles and subject matter. The various groups of works reflect her standpoint within a decidedly feminine artistic realm and are unstinting in their fundamental critique of the prevailing art system. Despite her critical stance, Trockel's works encounter the viewer as lively, highly imaginative conceptual constructs and as vivid and convincing artistic creations.
Where: Max Mueller Bhavan, Kala Ghoda, Mumbai
When: December 17-31, 11 am-7 pm
Kolkata
Art
Diversity in art: Weavers Studio Centre for Arts presents “Naksha", an exhibition of handmade products. The exhibition will feature artists such as Shohini Gupta, Mukta Dey Jana and Sukanta Bose. On display will be handmade jewellery, studio pottery and ceramics and clothes made from natural fabrics respectively.
Where: Weavers Studio Centre For The Arts, Ballygunge, Kolkata
When: December 20, 3-7 pm
Going down memory lane: Aakriti Art gallery presents “A Yank's Memories of Calcutta”, an exhibition of gelatin silver print photographs by Clyde Waddell. The photographer has tried to bring back the memories of Calcutta and reveals the exponential examples of architecture and modernities in the form of photographs. Immortalised in art and literature, the photographs of the city throw light on the unique paradox of extremes, of magnificence and luxury, poverty and wealth coexisting harmoniously.
Where: Aakriti Art Gallery, Elgin Road, Kolkata
When: December 19, 11 am-7 pm
Theatre
Theatre for thought: Akshara Theatre will showcase “Kamla”, a play written by Vijay Tendulkar. “Kamla” sheds light on the changing role of women in society. The play is a realistic take on a true incident involving a journalist who bought a girl from a remote area and presented her at a press conference to expose the flesh market of Madhya Pradesh. The play expresses Tendulkar's grasp of the harsh realities in our social fabric and puts forward certain sensitive questions regarding the value system of the success-oriented, modern generation. Directed by Praveen Kumar, the play features Devesh Kumar, Jyotimala Tripathi and Raj Abhishek.
Where: Akshara Theatre, Connaught Place, New Delhi
When: December 19, 6:30 pm
The beautiful game: Goethe-Institut will screen “Lessons of a dream”, a 2011 German film directed by Sebastian Grobler, loosely based on the life of German football pioneer Konrad Koch. In the film, Koch, a young English teacher at a secondary school in late 19th century, introduces his students to the new sport of football to enthuse them for the English language and culture. The film stars Daniel Bruhl, Burghart Klaubner and Thomas Thieme.
Where: Max Mueller Bhavan , Goethe-Institut, Connaught Place
When: December 20, 4:30 pm
Art
A blend of architecture and nature: Lalit Kala Akademi presents “Intimate Expressions Of The World” a solo art show by Sarabjot Kaur Malik. An artist with a powerful backing in textile and dress-designing as well as grounding in drawing, Malik’s artworks are a blend of architectural structures and nature. She uses parts of buildings like arches, gates, roof corners balancing them with the flow and delicacy of trees and creepers that have caught her eye. The exhibition will be inaugurated by eminent art critic Suneet Chopra.
Where: Lalit Kala Akademi, Connaught Place, New Delhi
When: December 21-27, 11 am- 7 pm
Where: Art Heritage Gallery, Connaught Place, New Delhi
When: December 19-January 17, 11 am-7 pm
Italian Christmas feast: PizzaExpress is offering its customers a unique feast as a part of its Christmas celebrations. The festive food menu at its Christmas fare includes Formaggi Dough balls; a cheesy take on the brandâs famous dough balls - rolled and baked with emilgrana cheese; Melanzanine, a mini al forno dish of layered aubergine, PizzaExpress' unique recipe tomato passata, mozzarella, and emilgrana cheese; and for dessert, Snowball Doughballs, warm dough balls sprinkled with cinnamon and icing sugar.
Where: PizzaExpress, Ambience Mall, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi
When: December 23-January 4
Theatre
The lives of two geniuses: Bangalore Little Theatre is ending the year with “Partition”, a play based on the lives of two outstanding musicians of the 20th century – Srinivasa Ramanujan and GH Hardy. The play is being revived ten years after it was first staged in 2004. Ramanujan’s life sometimes reads like a fairy tale -- from a small town in South India, he overcame several barriers including extreme poverty to go to Cambridge where he created a stage for his mathematical genius. This would not have been possible without the generosity of GH Hardy, a great mathematician in his own right at Cambridge. They formed an incredible partnership that led to many wonderful discoveries nearly one hundred years ago, and play looks at episodes from the lives of these two remarkable geniuses.
Where: Alliance Francaise, Vasanth Nagar, Off Millers Road, Bengaluru
When: December 20 and 21, 3.30 pm and 7.30 pm
Info: Tickets (Rs 200) available on www.bookmyshow.com
Films
On becoming a "world class metropolis": Catch the India premier of "Our Metropolis", a film capturing the transformation of Bengaluru into a “world class metropolis.” The film looks at the changes of the city scape from 2008 to 2013: destruction of homes, proliferation of swanky malls and gated communities, and shrinking of green cover. It follows individuals, citizen groups, environmentalists and academics who challenge the atate's ideal of the city. The film, by Gautam Sonti and Usha Rao, has been screened at international film festivals at Busan and Dubai.
Where: Everest Talkies, Frazer Town (Opposite Bengaluru East station)
When: December 18, 7.30 pm
Art
Two views of the city: Two photo exhibitions by artistes in residence at the city showcase the time they spent there – while Nora Bibel's Family Comes First looks at the last joint families in the city, while Uwe Jonas finds creative expression for his concept through the ubiquitous “bindi”.
Where: 1, Shanthi Road, Bengaluru
When: On display till December 20
Dance
Dance therapy: Here's your chance to attend a guided dance session for non-dancers, irrespective of age or dance experience. Angela Boeti, an expert on dance pedagogy and therapy, will be taking the session. It will be based on dance improvisation and basic exercises from the Movement Ritual by Anna Halprin, the Laban Movement Analysis and Bartenieff Fundamentals.
Where: Natya & Stem Dance Kampni, 17th Cross, Malleshwaram, Bengaluru
When: December 20, 10.30 am
Info: To register, write to stemdance@hotmail.com
A holly jolly Christmas: Head to Monkey Bar for a whiff of nostalgia and generous helpings of Anglo Indian food. The Anglo Indian food festival, creatively titled Hobson Jobson, includes old favourites like Dak Bungalow Murgi Roast, Jalrezi, hotpot and chicken souffle. For dessert, choose from brown bread butter pudding, railway pudding and chocolate eclairs.
Where: Monkey Bar, Wood Street, Ashok Nagar, Bengaluru
When: Till December 30, lunch & dinner
(The festival is also on at the Connaught Place branch of Monkey Bar in Delhi, till December 25)
It's Christmas time: Christmas celebrations at Opus are under way with special menus and performances. The Christmas special special menu includes seared duck breast with orange sauce, wild mushroom risotto with truffle oil, Hunter's stew and several Goan classics. The season's special cocktails include mulled wine, Irish coffee, eggnog and hot toddy with rum or brandy. There will also be performances from 9 pm onwards on Christmas Day by Mark & Jude Lazaro Sheridian Brass, Sylvester Pradeep and Carlton Braganza.
Where: Opus, Palace Road, Bengaluru
When: On till December 31
Theatre
An illusion within an illusion: The Hive will showcase “The Two-Character Play”, a play written by Tennessee Williams. The characters in this play, Felice and Clare, are two actors on tour; they are also brother and sister. They find themselves deserted by their acting troupe in a decrepit “state theatre in an unknown state”. Faced by an audience expecting a performance, they enact “The Two-Character Play” – an illusion within an illusion, panic, and fear. The play is one of Williams' most personal and mystifying works.
Where: The Hive, Khar East, Mumbai
When: December 20, 6 pm and 9 pm
Deutsche art: Max Mueller Bhavan will showcase the monographic works of German artist Rosemarie Trockel. Her works confront the male artist-genius with feminine roles and subject matter. The various groups of works reflect her standpoint within a decidedly feminine artistic realm and are unstinting in their fundamental critique of the prevailing art system. Despite her critical stance, Trockel's works encounter the viewer as lively, highly imaginative conceptual constructs and as vivid and convincing artistic creations.
Where: Max Mueller Bhavan, Kala Ghoda, Mumbai
When: December 17-31, 11 am-7 pm
Kolkata
Art
Diversity in art: Weavers Studio Centre for Arts presents “Naksha", an exhibition of handmade products. The exhibition will feature artists such as Shohini Gupta, Mukta Dey Jana and Sukanta Bose. On display will be handmade jewellery, studio pottery and ceramics and clothes made from natural fabrics respectively.
Where: Weavers Studio Centre For The Arts, Ballygunge, Kolkata
When: December 20, 3-7 pm
Going down memory lane: Aakriti Art gallery presents “A Yank's Memories of Calcutta”, an exhibition of gelatin silver print photographs by Clyde Waddell. The photographer has tried to bring back the memories of Calcutta and reveals the exponential examples of architecture and modernities in the form of photographs. Immortalised in art and literature, the photographs of the city throw light on the unique paradox of extremes, of magnificence and luxury, poverty and wealth coexisting harmoniously.
Where: Aakriti Art Gallery, Elgin Road, Kolkata
When: December 19, 11 am-7 pm