Silk Route Theatre’s Tamil play ‘Kutti Ilavarasan’ is set to travel across the State with its two actors and a trunk petti filled with props
Silk Route Theatre’s Tamil play ‘Kutti Ilavarasan’ is set to travel across the State with its two actors and a trunk petti filled with props
A team of actors that travels with every prop needed for their play in a little trunk: this is what director Vasanth Selvam visualised when he adapted Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s masterpiece The Little Prince to the stage. His adaptation has only two actors, and a silver-coloured trunk that contains the props. “We can stop at any place we wish to with our trunk petti,” says actor Lakshmipriyaa Chandramouli, who, along with actor Maya S Krishnan, forms the team for Kutti Ilavarasan. The play, that was put together in 2019, has now been revived, with actor Vijay Sethupathi, a fan of The Little Prince himself, being one of the main producers.
The 70-minute adaptation in Tamil, titled Kutti Ilavarasan, features a host of string and shadow puppets that play the snake, the fox and the Little Prince, among other characters. “The puppets are over 70 years old, and were once used by a Salem-based troupe,” explains Maya, who has been part of the play from the time it was conceptualised.
The team plans to present the first ten shows free of charge
The team plans to present the first ten shows free of charge. “We have so far performed for various groups of children in the city, ranging from those from the fishing community, to children from North Chennai and Kannagi Nagar,” explains Lakshmipriyaa. “We want to reach out to children from different communities, introduce them to the magic of The Little Prince,” she says, adding: “Even if one moment of the play makes an impression on them, it will stay with them for the rest of their lives.”
Although Kutti Ilavarasan is meant for children, like the book itself, it resonates with adults as well. “We want children to either go ‘wow’, or be lulled to sleep after watching it,” says Maya. Lakshmipriyaa says that they have been moved by the response from children so far. “They are completely into the story; they come up with answers during the interactive portions long before we even ask them to,” she laughs, adding: “It has been a fascinating experience so far. While we felt that there was something unique about every group of children we performed for, they all had something so beautifully common: the ability to trust and to hope.”
‘Kutti Ilavarasan’ being performed at Chennai Primary School, Mogappair
Maya and Lakshmipriyaa plan to stage free shows of ‘Kutti Ilavarasan’ till the end of this month. “Then, after a 10-day break in March, we plan to do ticketed shows across Tamil Nadu, including places such as Coimbatore, Madurai, and Erode,” explains Maya.
For details, write to silkroute.theatre@gmail.com, call 9894533990.
