It was a devised choreographic piece dealing with the social taboos of mastectomy among breast cancer patients. It was based on the novel ‘The Emperor of All Maladies” by Siddhartha Mukherji and narratives collected by visiting patients at OPD services, Oncology department of AIIMS, New Delhi. It was performed in a box theatre with an intimate audience seating.

 

The performance closely dealt with the added mental stress of the patients due to social criteria for bodily symmetry and normative beauty. The performance started with questioning the censorship to openly address the problems related to private parts of the body and the pressure to fall for consumerist’s persuasion for ‘beauty’ enhancing products. The performance was an attempt to bring awareness of the social, psychological and economic pressure on the patients who were already struggling with the disease.

​

Concept, choreography, design and direction: Pannaga Jois

Violin: Tapasya Dasgupta

Guitar: Akum

Drums: Vetri Bhupati

Dance and acting: Bhumika Dube, Yatinder Bahuguna, Arivazagan, Annapurna Soni, Bhaskar Barua, Aparajita Dey

 

March 2015

Venue: National School of Drama, New Delhi, India