November 2022: Theatre festivals, best cultural events in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru

Padmavati Rao in 'Apne Ghar Jaisa', part of the Ranga Shankara Theatre Festival to be held from November 1-6 at Ranga Shankara, Bengaluru

The pandemic robbed us of a lot of things, including the joy of being in close proximity to the arts in person. But as they say, the show must go on and venues across the country are celebrating November with art exhibitions, theatre performances, music and dance programmes and much more. Here’s a glimpse of what there is to attend, watch and be a part of come November:

Prithvi Festival at Prithvi Theatre, Mumbai

November 3-14

Vikram Kapadia's 'The Greatest Show on Earth', will show at Prithvi Festival at the Prithvi Theatre, Mumbai (Photto: Pratik Sureka)

After a forced gap of two years, Prithvi festival is back with premier productions from directors Makarand Deshpande, Vikram Kapadia, Akarsh Khurana, Manoj Shah and Abhishek Majumdar, among others. Ghazal singer Pooja Gaitonde will open the festival with shades of Sufi Kalam. Some of the other music and dance programmes include an Odissi dance performance by Bijayini Satpathy, solo Indian classical vocals by Pelva Naik, jazz music by Louis Banks and a Western classical music acoustic concert by Symphony Orchestra of India.

Infinite Light at various venues, Delhi

Bikaner House from November 5-18, India Habitat Centre from November 12-25

Paresh Maity's exhibition 'Infinite Light' will be held at Bikaner House and India Habitat Centre, Delhi

Artist Paresh Maity in collaboration with Art Alive Gallery Delhi is presenting a solo exhibition that spans nearly four decades of his artistic career. "Infinite Light", which kicks off in Delhi, will travel to Mumbai, Kolkata and Bengaluru in the coming months. Different mediums, including painting, drawing, sculpture, film and installations, as well as ceramics will be part of the grand showcase.

Every Good Boy Deserves Favour at NCPA, Mumbai

November 4-6

Bruce Guthrie's adaptation of Sir Tom Stoppard's play 'Every Good Boy Deserves Favour' will show at NCPA, Mumbai

Award-winning playwright Sir Tom Stoppard’s play Every Good Boy Deserves Favour was first performed in London in 1977. Almost 45 years later, the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) is staging an Indian production of the same, to be directed by Bruce Guthrie and performed by Denzil Smith, Neil Bhoopalam, Sohrab Ardeshir, Deepika Deshpande Amin and Mihaail Karachiwala. Billed as a play for actors and an orchestra, the show will feature live performance by the Symphony Orchestra of India. The brilliantly funny play shows the terrors of living in an orchestrated society.

Colours of Freedom at India Habitat Centre, Delhi

November 1-10

Presented by CIMA Gallery, Kolkata, the group show 'Colours of Freedom' will be displayed at India Habitat Centre, Delhi

A group exhibition highlighting art in independent India, "Colours of Freedom" is being presented by CIMA Gallery, Kolkata. The exhibition is aimed at providing a glimpse of some interesting creative experiments undertaken by visual artists, across genres. While many veteran modernists and artists from the 1950s to the 1990s have been included, works by relatively unseen award-winning artists of this millennial who present important pointers to the times and ideas ahead are also a part of the show.

Ranga Shankara Theatre Festival, Bengaluru

November 1-6

With their theme being "JUST Theatre" this year, the festival explores the various connotations and meanings of the word "Just" when it comes to understanding and re-understanding it. The 19th Ranga Shankara Theatre Festival begins on Kannada Rajyotsava with Idhu Keluva Samaya — It’s Time to Listen by Kannada poets Mamta Sagar and Pratibha Nandakumar. Some of the plays being staged over the six days of the festival include Dakla Katha Devi Kavya by Jangama Collective, There is Something in the Water by Akvarious Productions and Apne Ghar Jaisa by Ranga Shankara. Some other unique shows include an intimate reading by Ratna Pathak Shah and 20-minute short plays by college students.

Should Art 2022 at G5A Foundation for Contemporary Culture, Mumbai

November 3-20

A still from Pan Nalin's film 'Chhello Show', India's official Oscar entry, which will show at G5A, Mumbai

G5A’s seventh annual culture festival is a three-week-long celebration, which includes performances, immersive exhibitions, workshops, terrace bazaars, podcasts and food. The idea is to connect, create and celebrate through conversations and storytelling. Anuradha Parikh, founder of G5A, and her team has curated a festival which focusses on multidisciplinary and experimental works, including film screenings of MS Sathyu’s Garm Hava (1974), Faraz Arif Ansari’s LGBTQIA+ short film Sheer Qorma (2021) and India's official Oscar entry director Pan Nalin’s Chhello Show (2021). Stories of our Sea is an immersive installation that attempts to understand our complex relationship with the sea. Poetry, music and conversations, too, are a part of the festival.