A dramatic reimagining of the last days of the Mahabharata war, told through lesser-explored perspectives, Dharamvir Bharati’s Andha Yug comes to Club Voltaire, 4 – 8 October, as part of the 2023 Melbourne Fringe Festival.
Andha Yug is a dark, gritty play about the last days of the Mahabharata war, as told from the perspectives of Queen Gandhari, grieving the loss of her sons, and warrior Ashwatthama, struggling with survivor’s guilt.
It is an exploration into the philosophy of karma, the mysteries of time, human journeys through heightened emotions, and the volatile actions that emerge from dislodged passions.
Andha Yug is a powerful and celebrated work that Bharati wrote in the 1950s (when he was a young man in his 20s), and it has been performed by countless groups over the decades. This particular production had an earlier showing at Clayton Community Theatre in April 2023, directed by Hem Tiwary for Khelaiya Productions.
This version for Melbourne Fringe, co-directed by Jaya Berged, comes with several changes including play structure and production values. The cast includes Anshu Adrekar, Gopal Ganwani, Suneel Chalisgaonkar and Vinay Nigam.
Hem Tiwary is an actor and director based in Melbourne. He began his acting journey in 2013 with Asmita Theatre Group in India, and has trained with Peter Sardi’s School of Acting in Melbourne since 2017.
Over the past decade, Hem has starred in several shows in India and Australia with groups like Asmita Theatre Group, The Day Dream, Natyadarpan Indian Theatre Academy, and Khelaiya Productions.
Earlier this year, he made his directorial debut with Dharamvir Bharati’s Andha Yug, presented by Khelaiya Productions at Clayton Community Theatre. He is now bringing an evolved version of the show, Andha Yug, to Club Voltaire in North Melbourne for the Melbourne Fringe Festival.
Jaya Berged is an independent theatremaker who has been creating, performing, directing, and teaching in India and Australia for over 15 years. Formerly a lawyer, she is now passionate about bringing together her love for text, meaning, community, and connection in the way she develops new works for performance.
Her creative work is always informed by lived experience and cultural connection, and she is excited to be a part of two incredible projects at Melbourne Fringe this year, Andha Yug – a Mahabharata story, and The Axe in the Ceiling – a contemporary Indian take on a classic Grimm Brothers household tale.
Andha Yug
Club Voltaire, 14 Raglan Street, Melbourne
Season: 4 – 8 October 2023
Information and Bookings: www.melbournefringe.com.au
Image: Andha Yug – photo by Anamika Tiwary