Sep 14 2025 to Sep 14 2025 6:30 p.m.

Where

Bangalore International Centre

7 4th Main Rd, Stage 2, Domlur 560071

Event Description

BIC will be holding a Storytelling Theatre Workshop over the weekend of September 13-14. It will be led by Prof. Vijay Padaki, who has initiated the Courtyard Theatre form in Bangalore. To conclude the workshop there will be a full performance of one of the Courtyard plays. It will be open to the public.

Courtyard Theatre is a Storytelling form of theatre in which we have just two actors presenting a whole play. A recent play in the series is about the man called Shakespeare – his life and work and the times when Shakespeare’s plays originated. Shakespeare By Any Other Name aims to put across the “idea of Shakespeare” and dips into excerpts of scenes to illustrate the point. The script also raises the question of who Shakespeare really was and the authorship of the plays.

The play is meant to be educational, but is also good entertainment first. It may be performed in a variety of spaces, not necessarily in auditoria. The play has only two women on the cast, but draws on a great deal of audience participation. The storytellers are seasoned actors of BLT. The play is designed and directed by Vijay Padaki.

In collaboration with:

Artists

Vijay Padaki
Trustee Emeritus, Bangalore Little Theatre Foundation
Vijay Padaki is a theatre educator based in Bangalore. He has worn two caps all his life. One of them is in management, with a special interest in organization and institutional development. He was part of the founding faculty of IIM Bangalore. The other cap is in the theatre, being associated with Bangalore Little Theatre (BLT) from inception. He is particularly committed to dissemination in the Theatre, which is reflected in his long track record in writing and training.

Vijay was responsible for several long term thrusts of BLT. One of them is the highly acclaimed Courtyard Theatre programme – plays performed by just two actors in a wide variety of spaces. He has written over 50 original plays in English.

Ranjitha Seshadri
Actor
Ranjitha Seshadri is an actor in BLT and a member of the Managing Committee. She is a teacher in a progressive school and is passionate about the arts in education. She is an accomplished Property Manager backstage and was involved in fabrication of many props in BLT’s hugely successful play Kabuliwala Calling. She is also a member of BLT’s Education Enrichment programme.

Akshata Padaki
Actor
Akshata Padaki is an actor in BLT and an ardent student-researcher-practitioner in the performing arts, which includes dance and film making. She recently completed her training in Kathak. She is currently pursuing her Master’s in Behavioural Science at Christ University while working as a Creative Accounts Executive at an advertising agency in Bangalore.