The Cloud Messenger
“...delighted the audience with a perfectly synchronized performance...”
Inspired by Kalidasa's epic poem, Meghadhutam, The Cloud Messenger is about a yaksha (or demi-god) who is exiled and separated from his lady-love. In the height of his despair, he finds solace in a young raincloud and tries to convince her to embark on a difficult journey, to ultimately take a message of love to his beloved. This magical and unconventional romance shows why love’s journey, though risky, can indeed be something beautiful. In our interpretation, the raincloud is the solace that we seek, when hope ultimately seems lost. This piece is an interpretation of how we seek that solace, or how that solace sometimes seeks us. This work has been performed in part or in full to over 2500+ in programs such as the San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival, National Steinbeck Center (Salinas), Marin Center for the Performing Arts (San Rafael), La Mama Experimental Theatre Club (New York), and others.
Show
Runtime: 65 minutes
Performed with either live music or recorded music
Credits
Direction: Nadhi Thekkek and Sophia Valath
Choreography: Nadhi Thekkek, Sophia Valath, Arun Mathai
Composer: G. S. Rajan (www.malabarian.com)
Orchestration: G. S. Rajan (www.malabarian.com)
Costumes: Costumes: R. Krishnamoorthy (Aahaaryaa Tailors, Chennai, India)
Lighting Design: Richard Board
Funding: This work was commissioned by the CounterPulse Performing Diaspora Residency/Commissioning Program and was further supported by Dancers’ Group, Theatre Bay Area CA$H Grants, Zellerbach Community Arts Grant, Center for Cultural Innovation ARC, and individual patrons.