Malayalam play Agleyum Cleopatrayum by Lokadharmi Nadakaveedu to be staged in Kochi and Pune

Arya MK at rehearsal
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

When two love stories intertwine, there is bound to be drama. Especially if the characters involved are the enigmatic Egyptian queen, Cleopatra and the mythical queen of serpents, Egle. Agleyum Cleopatrayum, a solo theatrical piece in Malayalam, written, directed and designed by Chandradasan, founder of Lokadharmi Nadakaveedu, explores love and the female experience of it.

Essayed by Arya MK, the play builds connections across time, history and cultures to find commonalities in the way both Cleopatra and Egle were deeply enmeshed in the triumphs and tribulations of love. It also resonates with the contemporary female experience.

Inspired by William Shakespeare’s iconic work Antony and Cleopatra and the Lithuanian myth of Egle, Chandradasan creates a visual experience on stage, blending ritualistic elements, physical theatre and evocative music.

The performance takes place around a sarpakkalam (a ritualistic practice of drawing colourful geometrical patterns with natural colours as a form of worshipping snake Gods in Kerala), which add to the effect. The kalam will be created by Jinesh Kalamandalam and Sanosh Palluruthy, while Rajesh Mohan will manage the set and stage. The music is by Salim Nair. Sobha Menon has designed the costume; assisted by Sini PG. Jolly Antony will handle lighting and production coordination is by Sreedeep PS.

Artists Lekha Narayanan and Lekha Vyloppilly will paint during the performance.

Journeying into the depths of a woman’s heart, it also speaks the universal language of emotion.

The play will be staged on November 27 at Changampuzha Park, Edappally, at 6.30pm. It will also be staged on December 10 at Shreeram Lagoo Rang-Avakash, Pune, at 7pm.