Thyagaraja Ramayanam

Thyagaraja Ramayanam . Picture Gallery . Critique . Productions

 
The ekaharya or mono theatre collated the Ramayana and its principal characters as a seamless experience, and established connections in time and space with feisty involvement.

The ease with which Ananda Shankar Jayant transformed from one character to another effortlessly revealed her emotive proficiency. - Vidya Saranyan, The Hindu, Chennai, 27th December 2013

Her figure was striking, sylph-like in its sinuous appeal. Her lovely face, with two luminous eyes, changed from one expression to another with remarkable mobility. Above all, sequence after sequence ‘abhinaya’ and excellent technique, made her dance a joyous interpretation of Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi. The interpretation of Sabari rose to great heights of ‘abhinaya’, but the petite Ananda had every other character, Ravana, Hanuman, etc. at the tips of her fingers. Her lithe body and face springs from this incident to that, bringing alive every part of the nuance of character and type of person and situation. Indeed, this was a performance beyond the limitation of any boundaries. She literally identified herself with each and every character. Fortunately, you who are reading my review know the story of the Ramayana. But if you want to see Ram or Lakshman, Hanuman or Ravana - in dance - then do try to see Ananda Shankar Jayant. She has accumulated great talent from her past lives.- Hima Devi, Femina, 1995

She performed ekharya titled Thyagaraja Ramayanam where in her portrayal of Thyagaraja’s intense bhakti in Ramabi Rama was heart moving. The devotion of Sabari towards Rama has Thyagaraja singing ‘Enthaninne Varinintunu Sabari’ was immersed with deep involvement by Ananda. She followed with D. Seshadri’s interpretation of Vali repenting on his death bed in the song Marukelara, which transcended the realms of time, with excellent abhinaya and minimal use of mudras. - News Today, Madras, January, 1997