Voices of Exile at Pangea World Theater

Pangea was the name given to the single land mass that existed before the occurrence of continental drifts on earth. “Pangea World Theater illuminates the human condition, celebrates cultural differences, and promotes human rights by creating and presenting international, multi-disciplinary theater,” says the web page of the group adding that it “ begins from the fundamental paradigm of diversity in the world. Our work expresses this reality and our organization advances this possibility consciously.”

Pangea offers, “a progressive space for transformation in which conversations about race, gender, ethnicity, human rights, politics and social justice” become the backbone of the art that is created.

In the course of a 22 months I witnessed the group showcasing a full length play on the partition of the Indian subcontinent, an interactive talk with a feminist author publisher from India, a performance by Native artists under the series Indigenous Voices, a social satire in Hindi, a dramatization of selected works of Ovid and two cabaret* events that were part of their new project Voices of Exile. Each of these was flawlessly executed to full house.

D, its co founder and artistic director is an internationally renowned director. Dapper in his all season all black outfit, he wears his long wavy hair loose. His wife M who is the other founder and the group’s literary director dons the most exquisite Indian accessories which she often designs herself. The aesthetics of their dramatic presentations make for stunning spectacle.

I had the privilege to curate the first edition of the Voices of Exile, by artists from South Asia and it was by far my richest experience in the land of opportunities. When I invited my handsome friend from Jersey City to be MC for the cabaret he had laughingly asked if he would have to do so in a ‘jaalidaar’ roopa baniyaan.

The card I designed for the event read: Hear the voices of exile proclaim that the exile does have a choice and the choice is to transform the severance into a continuum, the loss into anticipation, and the silence into a narrative.

Pangea presents a collage of expressions by artists from the Asian subcontinent. Visuals movement rhythm and the spoken word coalesce to validate the trials and triumphs that all journeys must entail.

A few highlights of the evening were: a second generation Sikh medico reciting her composition on the response of her grandfather to the 1984 killings, an IT professional from Bangladesh assembling a rock band that sang popular Bangla numbers, a Pakistani miniature artist presenting a series of slides tracing the art form to the history of the subcontinent, a Tamil  student doing a Bharat Natyam choreography to her Gujarati class mate’s description of the aftermath of 9 /11 as experienced by people of colour and two Sri Lankan young women performing the spoken word on the unrest in the island.

I’m still waiting for an opportunity to put together a similar event at home. I’m not too hopeful but perhaps there will be a time when our concept of entertainment will go beyond the monotonous homogeneity of films and reality shows to include art and literature.

*Cabaret is a multi genre multi item interactive live performance normally presented at a bar or restaurant to an invited audience.