[Yashodhara]

I have been gifted tickets for the Bharati stage show that will be in Germany in January 2007. It seems this show is quite popular in Europe right now, they are on a big tour and also appear on TV shows for promotion a lot. The French radio station for popular Indian music RadioTeentaal plays the soundtrack which seems to consist of famous filmi tunes day in and day out. Now I am wondering if anyone has already seen this show, heard about it and/or has any opinion on it. It says they come with 100 singers, dancers, musicians etc. which sounds good to me. Obviously the story is a combination of a modern filmi plot and a mystical carthasis. Please check out their website if you are interested:

http://www.bharatith...w.com/index.php



PS. I was not sure which forum would be most appropriate for this thread, Music could have been another option. Mods, feel free to move it though if you find a better place for it.

[dzibead]

Comfort, on Nov 17 2006, 11:32 AM, said:

I've seen the show in Holland, Rotterdam.
It was just amazing!!!

I've heard it's really good - sort of an Indian version of Riverdance.

[Yashodhara]

Thanks for your replies, dzi and Comfort. Sounds good, I am now looking forward to it and I shall report afterwards. Obviously they will come to North America also, tour dates are said "to be announced". I was just wondering how come they don't tour India.

[Somerset]

Looks fantastic! Please let us know how it was!

[Yashodhara]

So I saw the show yesterday and found it absolutely fantastic! There was really so much to see and no effort spared. The story was narrated in German with the narrator being some sort of a guiding line for the audience which was often addressed and thus taken into the story. There were five singers, and all of them were just wonderful. At times I just kept looking at them despite the great dancing done around them. The musicians were great too and also had a few funny scenes. The dancing and costumes, it was all overwhelming, and they had lots of lavish props. The songs were all famous Hindi movie songs that were skillfully woven into the story that presented a journey through India. One thing that was very uncommon for the Indian movie fan though was the fact that Bharati's father gave in WAY too early when things came to marriage. But then again the love story between Siddhartha and Bharati is just one dimension of the narrative that actually shows a young NRI who comes to India and gets immersed in his ancient culture. In the end the narrator asked the audience to get up and start some dancing also - after all we were a disciplined German audience   , an Indian audience might not even have to be asked -, and some of the people actually fled because they were afraid to do anything but sit. The performers did an extra-long encore, and I wished they had asked the audience a bit earlier to interact.

I definitely recommend this show although ticket prices are very high (85 € for the best seats in the front rows). I would love to go again, but I am saving my money for the India trip now.

[priya]

Without doubt you had a wonderful evening Yash!!!!  I'm so glad you enjoyed - but you didn't 'fess up as to whether you danced - well, did you???

[Yashodhara]

priya, on Jan 22 2007, 08:07 AM, said:

Without doubt you had a wonderful evening Yash!!!!  I'm so glad you enjoyed - but you didn't 'fess up as to whether you danced - well, did you???

Of course I did, priya! I was happy when the audience finally got permission to get up from their seats, so I gladly joined in. Well, I did not dance half as well as Aish and I did not sing half as well as Lata, but it was such fun really.

[priya]

Good for you!!!!  It's really difficult to sit still when the music literally 'gets you'.

[Somerset]

Thanks for the review! I'm glad the weather didn't interfere. I hope they announce dates in North America soon.