Earlier international collaboration · April 2024
International Collaborative Theatre Project 2024
An outcome of BBITF 2023. AANK_A Creative Line and Inter Act Art, Sri Lanka, brought together artists from France, Australia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and India for a new Assamese production and a theatre forum in Guwahati.
Dates
28–29 April 2024
Venue
Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra, Guwahati
Partners
AANK_A Creative Line and Inter Act Art, Sri Lanka
Countries
France, Australia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and India
How the project began
During the first Bhullung-Bhuthur International Theatre Festival in October 2023, M. Safeer of Inter Act Art, Sri Lanka, led a physical theatre workshop in Guwahati for young and experienced theatre artists. At its close, Dr Mrinal Jyoti Goswami proposed an Assamese production of Swings of Love, a physical monodrama that Inter Act Art had already staged in English and Sinhala.
The project that followed joined a playwright from France, a translator from Australia, a director and a composer from Sri Lanka, speakers from Bangladesh and India, and performers and technicians from Assam. Dr Goswami was the Project Director.
Theatre performance · 28–29 April 2024
Swings of Love (Premar Dolna)
An avant-garde physical monodrama. The last woman in the world performs her final act and, before she leaves, speaks to the audience. Red, blue, black, purple and white swings remain on stage, their colours standing for life, love and femininity. The production relies mainly on physical expression, with little narration and with projected visuals.
Venue
Sri Sri Madhavadeva International Auditorium, Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra, Guwahati
Duration
75 minutes
Language
Assamese
Presented by
AANK_A Creative Line, Assam, and Inter Act Art, Colombo
Credits
Playwright
Manjula Wediwardena (France)
English translation
Dilini Eriyawala (Australia)
Assamese translation
Dr Mrinal Jyoti Goswami
Direction, set and costume design
M. Safeer (Sri Lanka)
On stage
Jahnabi Borah
Music design
Vindake Weerasinghe (Sri Lanka)
Light design and operation
Dr Mrinal Jyoti Goswami
Video visuals and editing
Amrit Basumatary
Production and stage managers
Dhrubajyoti Deka; Upeksha Sandeepani and Nirmal Perera (Sri Lanka)
Theatre Forum · 29 April 2024
Theatre Forum
Topics
- Theatre Criticism and Review: Evaluating Performances and Promoting Dialogue
- Collaborative Theatre-Making: Exploring Ensemble Work and Collective Creativity
Date and time
29 April 2024 · 3:00 – 5:30 PM
Venue
Conference Hall, Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra, Guwahati
Moderator
Nayan Prasad
Key speakers
Prof. Shafi Ahmed (retired), Jahangirnagar University, Bangladesh · Dr Ajay Joshi, theatre researcher, Pune
Speakers
Anupam Saikia, Government College of Arts & Crafts, Guwahati · Samudra Kajal Saikia, visual and performance artist, Guwahati
What happened next
Swings of Love stayed in the repertoire and travelled to festivals in Guwahati, Colombo and Seoul. Its performer, Jahnabi Borah, had joined the 2023 workshop as a participant.
September 2024
Closing performance of BBITF 2024, Guwahati
31 August 2025
11th Colombo International Theatre Festival, Sri Lanka
19 March 2026
3rd Seoul International Monodrama Festival, Samilro Changgo Theater, South Korea
Swings of Love in performance
