As India celebrates 70 years of independence, Mashi Theatre look further back in history, a time of magic, mysticism and storytelling. 

Tales of Birbal brings fables handed down generation to generation across the Indian sub-continent to stages across the UK for families of all backgrounds.

Mashi and Bhanji are travelling story-tellers, living hand-to-mouth with just a wooden cart, trinkets they have collected on their travels, and a family of mischievous crows for company. 

Stopping one day for lunch, they recreate mythical tales of the great Mughal King Akbar and his wise companion, Birbal. How can a man survive a night in a freezing lake? How many crows are there in a kingdom? 

Using humour, puppetry, music and the occasional fake beard, Mashi and Bhanji bring to vivid life these famous tales that have been treasured for generations.

Mashi Theatre was established in 2013 to present high quality diverse work within the performing arts, particularly for young people. 

A ‘Mashi’ in the Asian culture meaning ‘aunt’ not necessarily a blood relative; a playmaker, confidante, keeper of stories and teller of tales.

Writen by Sayan Kent
Directed by Trina Haldar
Designed by Sue Pyecroft
Musical Direction by Arun Ghosh
Puppetry Direction by Sue Pyecroft
Cast: Simran Kular and Medhavi Patel


TOUR DATES

20 May Brighton Festival  - The Grand Hotel 
Consort Suite, 97-99 King's Rd, Brighton BN1 2FW
11.30am & 2.30pm  | £10, £35 family ticket (4 people) 
brightonfestival.org | 01273 709709
The performance at 2.30pm is British Sign Language-interpreted

27 May The Curve - The Spark Children’s Arts Festival
60 Rutland St, Leicester LE1 1SB
1.30pm & 3.30pm  | £8
www.curveonline.co.uk | www.sparkfestival.co.uk | 0116 242 3595

28-29 May  Southbank Centre – Alchemy Festival
The Blue Room, Royal Festival Hall, Belvedere Road, London SE1 8XX
12pm & 3pm | £5 - £10
www.southbankcentre.co.uk| 020 7960 4200
The performance at 3pm on Monday 29 May is British Sign Language-interpreted.

30-31 May Watermans Art Centre
40 High St, Brentford TW8 0DS
2pm (plus 11am on 31st) | £8 (£7 concs)
www.watermans.org.uk | 020 8232 1010
    
2-3 June Tara Arts
356 Garratt Lane, London SW18 4ES
11am & 1pm | £10.50
www.tara-arts.com | 020 8333 4457

4 June Warwick Arts Centre
University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL
12.30pm & 3.30pm | £11.25 (£8.25)
www.warwickartscentre.co.uk | 024 7652 4524

8-9 June The Hat Factory
65 - 67 Bute Street, Luton LU1 2EY
8th: 1 & 6pm, 9th: 10:30am & 1pm | £7
www.lutonculture.com | 01582 878100

11-13 June June Arts Jam
11th: 1 & 3pm, 12th & 13th: 10.30am & 1.30pm
fullhouse.org.uk | 01525 630783

17-19 June The Egg, Theatre Royal Bath
Theatre Royal Bath, Sawclose, Bath BA1 1ET (the egg entrance: St John’s Place)
17th & 18th: 11.30am & 19th: 10.30am & 1pm  3pm, | £8.50 (£7.50)
www.theatreroyal.org.uk | 01225 823409