The Money Opera comes to Delhi with new characters

Amitesh Grover’s experimental theatre production ‘The Money Opera’ is coming to the Capital with the support of The Gujral Foundation. A layered commentary told through multiple perspectives, the play will be presented at The Factory in Okhla from September 23 to October 8. The play was first opened to an overwhelming response at the Serendipity Arts Foundation Festival’s 2002 edition, where it was showcased in an abandoned building in Goa. Amitesh Grover’s creative productions have been part of the inter-disciplinary festival’s previous editions in 2019 and 2020 as well.

Commissioned by Serendipity Arts Foundation, it is a part of the organization’s new initiative #BeyonedSerendipity.

“It is a special project with special needs,” says Grover and thanks the Gujral Foundation’s  faith in its creative pursuits by selecting what he calls “the right location” for the play.

“While the context of the production remains the same, some new characters and stories will be part of the capital’s iteration. The play has a soul and it will bring within its fold cultural stories of a new city,” he reveals.

An experimental theatre production, The Money Opera unravels stories of greed, desire, love, ambitions and a multitude of emotions and behavioural patterns that dictate our lives. The 90-minute show gives agency to the audience over which story they want to engage with but they hold no power over what happens inside the building.

The characters inhabiting the space come from varied spectrums of socio-cultural backgrounds and feature a mix of professional actors and real-life performers.  The audience will meet a young billionaire, a ghost, an inheritor, a landlord, a child goddess, a thief, a poet, a stock-broker, a rebel, an explorer, and several others who share their stories that are intricately woven into the fabric of the society.

“It is not easy to find an abandoned building. But Seredipity has done it so well – both times, reaffirming their faith in the production and showing their intention to invite a new audience in a new city to watch the production. The Factory is an ideal venue where we will create a fictional universe with complex narratives revolving around money matters,” he adds.

“We have always believed in the power of collaboration and co-creating with like-minded institutions and individuals to create an ecosystem that is supportive of art and creativity.  For this special project, we are happy to have joined hands with The Gujral Foundation. Our ethos is anchored in creating a thriving ecosystem that provides support, resources and opportunities necessary for emerging talent to flourish,” says Smriti Rajgarhia, Director, Serendipity Arts Foundation & Festival.

Feroze Gujral, Director, The Gujral Foundation says, “The larger purpose of The Gujral Foundation and Serendipity Arts Foundation is tied to the common thread of developing a nourishing ecosystem supportive of performative arts and emerging talent. We both believe in democratizing art and our constant efforts are focused on empowering the next generation of artists to push boundaries, innovate, and contribute to the ever-evolving landscape of creative expression.”

Every year, South Asia’s biggest inter-disciplinary festival – Serendipity Arts Festival – charters a new territory aimed at making the annual festival of celebration inclusive and accessible to people across geographies. This year, the Foundation has launched #BeyondSerendipity campaign to take various forms of arts across Indian cities. This initiative’s first two successful chapters took place in Pondicherry and Kolkata.