Since 1993, when Maya made her first solo, she has created different kinds of productions ranging from dance theatre to cross media performances and comedy. She is her own director and the centre piece of her making process is improvisation. Over the years, she has invited other artists – musicians, film makers, light and designers to improvise with her to create shows. While some productions have been adaptations of short stories, most have been inspired by events in India. There’s generally a strong social and political thread that runs through the content of her shows. Alongside, Kathakali – which she trained in for several years - seems to enter via various doors in creating a contemporary language of theatre. Maya has been commissioned by festivals both in India and abroad to create performances.
Loose Woman
The-Non-Stop-Feel-Good-Show
Ravanama
Quality Street
Are You Home Lady Macbeth?
Hand Over Fist
Heads Are Meant For Walking Into
Departures
The Job
Khol Do
Loose Woman
The-Non-Stop-Feel-Good-Show
Ravanama
Quality Street
Are You Home Lady Macbeth?
Hand Over Fist
Heads Are Meant For Walking Into
Departures
The Job
year
1997
The story, typically of Brecht, is rich in theatre possibilities. Brecht himself based his story on a real life account published in a German newspaper, of a woman who transformed herself into her dead husband only to seize a job as a night watchman in a factory. These are the days of the Depression and she has two children and herself to keep alive. Another jobless woman willingly agrees to live with her as ‘wife’. This 'ordinary' family survived for four long years, until 'his' secret was found out quite by accident.
In recreating this story for theatre, the performer creates a contemporary character, who, while going about her daily chores, finds events of the story ‘revealed’ through her actions. Somewhere, the character, her routine tasks and Mrs. Hausmann and her predicament get ‘caught’ in one another inextricably.
