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“I believe the most important stories are the ones that we can continue to tell because they continue to be relevant and important,” says Rebecca Spurgeon, artistic director of Jagriti Theatre, which will be hosting Lisa Peterson and Dennis O’Hare’s An Iliad in Bengaluru this week.

There are two major ancient Greek epic poems that have been attributed to Homer. One is Odyssey while the other is Iliad. There might only be a handful of such poems that have had a lasting impression on its readers.

Bengaluru’s Jagriti Theatre is getting ready for a special play — An Iliad. Directed by noted US-based theatremaker and educator Kirsten Brandt, the 90-minute play is a modern retelling of Homer’s ancient tale of the Trojan War.

Jagriti Theatre, one of the city’s cultural venues, brought back its annual classical dance and music festival last weekend. The latest edition of SwarTaal, featured three performances by artistes in the classical music and dance space.

Jagirti, Whitefield, presents a three-day dance and music festival called Swartaal. The festival, curated by artistic director of Jagriti, Rebecca Spurgeon, will feature performances by Prithvi Nayak, a student of Bijayini Satpathy, who is trained in Nrityagram and has also been a part of the dance school’s ensemble. She is currently transitioning as a solo performer and will open the festival.

Jagriti's annual festival Swartaal is a celebration of the classical performance arts and the rich tradition of music, dance and theatre that has been honed over centuries in India. As a performance space, Jagriti strives to support the classical arts giving Bengaluru audiences a chance to experience and support art forms that celebrate India’s rich artistic and cultural heritage. We catch up with three artistes performing at the upcoming edition of Swartaal to find out everything you need to know about the festival.

Back in 2017 when Bengaluru’s theatre notables Preetam Koilpillai and Rebecca Spurgeon came together for the play Oleanna, it emerged as one of the most talked shows of the time. Years later, the duo is collaborating again — this time, as a director and an actor. Jagriti Theatre’s latest production — American playwright Will Eno’s 2004 solo act Thom Pain (based on nothing) is helmed by Rebecca, with Preetam as the performer.

Based on the one-man show written by Will Eno, Thom Pain (Based on Nothing) is a monologue, where the protagonist has suffered a lot in his life. He talks about a bee sting, a boy with a dog that died and also about his experience with a woman. The monologue will be performed in the city, this weekend, by popular theatre artiste Preetam Koilpillai and is directed by Rebecca Spurgeon. We speak to Rebecca to find out more about this performance, why she chose to work on this particular project and lots more...

The New York Times‘s review of Thom Pain (based on nothing) says, “It’s one of those treasured nights in the theatre — treasured nights anywhere, for that matter — that can leave you both breathless with exhilaration and, depending on your sensitivity to meditations on the bleak and beautiful mysteries of human experience, in a puddle of tears. Also in stitches, here and there.”

Discover the rich history and soulful melodies of the Sarangi, a cherished bowed instrument from the Indian subcontinent, on June 29 from 6 pm to 7.30 pm. Head to the Indian Music Experience Museum in Bengaluru for a captivating lecture demonstration by Sarangi artist Harsh Narayan.