GHALIB (Musical Play *ing Tom Alter) September 14, 2008

PIERROT’S TROUPE Presents

GHALIB (Musical) Duration- 1.45 hrs
SEPT 14 (SUN), 7.30 pm, SHRI RAM CENTRE, Mandi House
Script and Direction: Dr. M. Sayeed Alam

Cast – TOM ALTER, Hareesh Chhabbra Niti Phool, Vijay
Gupta, Anju Chabbra, Hareesh Dinkar, Anil George,
Shubhra Bargotra, Vipin Katyal, Shakeel, Sohan Chauhan,
Surabhi Pandey, Rajat Narula, Rahul Bijani, Sarita, Shireen,
Smiriti, Joy, Muskaan etc.

Music – Manisha Mishra Vocal – Manisha, Vachaspati Mishra

One of those few plays which are so frequently repeated on
popular demand. The reason: Its a lively, entertaining and educative
account of an intriguing man named .Mirza Asadullah Khan Ghalib -- a master yet a rundown poet, a privileged yet a pitiable elite, an extravagant yet a poor noble, a devout yet a self effacing lover, an irreverent yet a pious husband and a self-seeking yet an altruistic person.

This is what one comes across while watching in the play the 70 year old Ghalib (Tom Alter) narrating the memoirs of his life to his first biographer Maulana Altaf Hussein Hali. He in his inimitable style, laced with humor and satire, takes Hali and audiences to an array of scenes depicting Ghalib the (talented) child; Ghalib the (carefree) young man; Ghalib the (mature) middle aged: His wife (Umrao Begum), a God fearing lady wedded to man who dared God: His family that got reduced to two from seven in a very short span of time: His deranged brother, shot dead as a rebel by Britons in 1857: His devout servants, twenty one in total: His lady love (Mughol Jan), who committed suicide: His futile attempts to secure a dignified position in Mughol Darbar, and also the professorship in Delhi College (now Zakir Hussain College): His contemporaries – virtually a long list – From Mir Taqi Mir to Momin and from Sir Ross to Col. Brown etc. In the process, he dispels myths about his rivalry with Ustad Zauq; about his love for wine (and women), about his role in the first war of independence etc. (Unfortunately, these myths still persist). At the core of the play are Ghalib’s Ghazals (recited, sung and performed); including a good number of them hitherto unheard.

Last but not the least, the play is a Pierrot’s Troupe production--- the theater company credited with successfully re-discovering the genre of ‘bio (graphical) drama’: Maulana Azad, K.L.Saigal, Begum Akhtar, Ghalib in New Delhi etc.

R E M A R K S
A path breaking play. -- The Hindu

An opportunity to understand Ghalib through a play on him. -- Metro Plus (The Hindu)

Marked by Tom Alter’s excellent performance as Ghalib – The Statesman
Sayeed Aam’s most-awaited play – India Today (Hindi)

An attempt to revive the fading memory of a stalwart – India Today (English)

Pierrot’s Troupe burns the circuit with a play on the literary legend that was Mirza Ghalib – Times of India

Tom Alter is now playing Ghalib…he has come a long way -- Mail Today

Tickets: Rs. 500/-, Rs 300/- Rs. 200/- & Rs. 100/- available at Shri Ram Centre from Sept 12 (11am to 5pm) and on the show day. For details, Tele Booking, Bulk Booking Contact: 9810255291, 9810460366, 011-40506826, 011-29944635, pierrotstroupe@yahoo.com, pierrotstroupe@gmail.com AND/OR www.bookmyshow.com or call 39895050. Also visit our site www.pierrotstheatre.com

Official Website: http://pierrotstheatre.com