17 May 2015 | 19:00 until 20:20

The Lowry

Seeta Patel (Bharatanatyam dance) 
Achuthan Sripathmanathan  (Violin)
Bhavani Shankar (Mridangam)
Y Yadavan (Vocal)
Vanathi Bosch

Seeta Patel is a dynamic young British talent, highly acclaimed for her skill, unique perspective and contemporary presentation style she brings to the beautiful and ancient South Indian classical art form of Bharatanatyam. Here she performs a programme of solo works accompanied by four musicians performing live on stage.

In Something Then, Something Now, Seeta brings together an intimate evening of Bharatanatyam, accompanied by a live Carnatic music orchestra and featuring a stunning light design by Guy Hoare.  The evening will lead the audience through the nuances of expression and technical excellence of this beautiful classical art form through Patel’s interpretations of a variety of works in the Bharatanatyam repertoire.

The central piece of the evening, a Varnam, is a story of love in separation. It focuses on the relationship between three character roles: the youthful heroine (nayika), the god Krishna, and the heroine’s friend (sakhi) who will help her unite with Krishna. The composition takes the nayika from intense moments of love, passion and desire for her Lord Krishna, to deeply spiritual places of realisation.  The performance is much more than a dance of devotion: it shows a mortal contemplating union with a god – both physical and spiritual – a consummation both human and divine.

With Something Then, Something Now, Seeta presents classical Bharatanatyam repertoire in a fresh and contemporary way while raising the bar for presentation and artistry.

This performance features live music accompaniment.
There will be a post show Q&A with Seeta Patel.

“It’s not often you see a dancer who can bewitch an audience with only her hands, but Patel can.”  Daily Telegraph

“The piece was hugely entertaining and evoked bundles of emotion from its audience.”  Faye Stockley, LondonTheatre1.com

£12 / £10 concessions