If you are a dance enthusiast, 'Hip-Hop Coppelia' will simply move you and in case if you are not, it will still groove you to its playful musical act. Director Alize Biannic stages her first Coppélia, which is a comic ballet originally choreographed by French composer Arthur Saint-Léo in the 1870’s. As ancient as it holds its inception, this play takes you in a comical ride of hilarity and romance with a blend of modern and ancient touch.
It all begins from the romance between Sophie (Paramita Rana) and Paul (Amrit Dahal) and camaraderie among each of their friends. Together they exude liveliness and playfulness with their dance battles and unending romance. Amidst a bunch of youths, there is Coppelius (Alize Biannic) who is old and typically seen scurrying around his mysterious mansion. His unmatched demeanor and a girl at his house balcony serve as clues to an unsolved puzzle. As a part of fun, the boys mock and bully him where he consequently drops his home-key. Upon finding the key, the girls break in his house where they gradually realize the suspense unfolding inside the four walls. Following Sophie, Paul gets inside the room where he is poisoned by Coppelius. Sophie who is trapped inside pushes her efforts to save her love. With sheer luck and love that they share, the couple finds their way out and seeks a new life together.
A dance of Gods and Goddesses
Biannic has played it crafty with musical beats as ‘Hip-Hop Coppelia’ accentuates the dramatic elements in mimes. The loud expressions of characters compliment the comical theme that the plot enters in. The creatively designed props add up to the mystery that the story line seems to weave. Although many a times spectator's attention get divided in multiple scenes taking place at a time, a variety of choreography fused with acrobatics nevertheless stands out throughout the play.
The play tried collaborating diverse artists on stage and the effort was notably visible. “Three months back, I came across many people who were depressed and I wanted to show them through art that being able to express what you love can make you feel contented and combat depression,” expresses Biannic. “Sometimes we tend to have some down moment but fail to understand the things that are keeping us together to be able to cope and overcome the situation. And this brings me closer to directing the musical play. With the show, I have attempted to celebrate togetherness recreating hopeful and magical moments on stage,” adds she.
Altogether 22 artists shared the stage for a show that they have hardly done before. “This is my first experience doing a musical play and I truly enjoyed it,” shares Pooja Lama, one of the artists. “With dialogues, actors have some control over the timing but it is challenging to play with it when you are doing a musical show and portraying your character in mimes,” she adds.
The play is slated to run till Sunday at 1:30 and 5:30 pm at Russian Center of Science and Culture, Kamalpokhari.
