TILA
directed by Michael Vogel

Puppet theatre, particularly, in India, has most commonly been associated with children, with puppets taking on the role of mere toys to be played with. Children and adults too, learn with puppets to form ideas of the physical and moral through their senses. Puppets become voices, metaphors and agents for ideas rooted in political discourse, and maybe more importantly, they are reminders that the act of 'playing' is not reserved for children.

© Ranga Shankara Based on the German folk tale of Till Eulenspiegel, the play is about a young trickster TILA, who always thinks he is a grain of til (sesame) cleverer than others. The play, using elements of magical realism, reveals a series of witty, humorous episodes from his life. While making fun of other people around him, it is said that Tila also holds a mirror to the world like Birbal, Tenali Rama or Mullah Nasruddin - characters in Indian folklore.

TILA - Let's Play Puppets Together: A Puppet-Project For Grown-ups, Well, Children Are Welcome Too! has been conceptualised by Bangalore-based theatre artist Surendranath Subbanna, in collaboration with Charlotte Wilde and Michael Vogel from Germany.

Credits:
Puppeteers: Gagan Kumar, Sharath Gowda, Shravana Heggodu, Soumya Bhagwat   
Dramaturgy: Charlotte Wilde, S Surendranath
Direction: Michael Vogel
Music Design: Charlotte Wilde
Musician: Vivek Govindaraja
Lights: Michael Vogel, S Surendranath
Production: Sharath Gowda

Language: English
Duration: 60 min.
Age: Puppet for grown-ups, but children above 6 years are also welcome.

TILA has been developed by Ranga Shankara (Bangalore) and Figurentheater Wilde & Vogel (Leipzig, Germany) with the support of the International Coproduction Fund of the Goethe-Institut, and Westflügel, Leipzig. 

The production premiered in Bangalore on August 8, 2023 and in Germany on September 15, 2023.