βWords are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind,” said the wise Rudyard Kipling.
If you look at it, there is nothing that can stir emotions more than words. A good prose or poetry can bring out emotions you didn’t even know existed in the depths of your soul. That’s the power of words. And Spoken Fest has rightfully taken up the responsibility of giving story-seekers, poetry junkies and more the chance to witness it all under one roof. It is scheduled to take place on the 28th and 29th of October from 3pm to 10pm.Β
Spoken Fest is the brainchild of Kommune β a collective of artists, producers, patrons, collaborators and art lovers who want to discover and nurture creative performance art ideas. More than 50 performers who will fly in from all over the world, like UK Shakespearian bards β The HandleBards, Diane Ferlatte, Margot Leitman, SARO, Raghu Dixit, Piyush Mishra, Kalki Koechlin, Naezy and Kommuneβs own superstars β Ankur Tewari, Shamir Reuben, Gaurav Kapur and Tess Joseph, among others.
So, we’re giving you some pretty convincing reasons why you should dedicate this weekend to Spoken Fest. But before we do, just keep this link handy as we know you will be itching to book your tickets:
1) Five delightful platforms to immerse yourself.
Aangan, Adda, Nukkad Gurukul 1 & 2 and Mehfil; we think the names are pretty self explanatory. While Aangan and Adda will host musical performances by the right kind of artists who know how to set the mood for the festival, Nukkad will bring storytellers, lyricists and special international artists aboard to weave their magic in front of an eager live audience. Gurukul 1 & 2 are the learning centres, where masterclasses and workshops are set to take place. So make sure you have your pen and paper ready. Mehfil, the stage hosted by Roshan Abbas and Gaurav Kapur, will stand as the main stage for the festival and stay active all through 5.30pm to 10pm.
2) The performances will be off the roof!
Unlike most other festivals, here variety is the flavour of the evening. Treat yourself to some beautiful music while simultaneously catching up on some interesting story and poetry recitations. The rap stars and stand-up artists are not to be missed either. Check out the performances list below:
3) Β All languages are welcome
If you have mistaken this to be a festival that only looks to stimulate your English vocabulary, then set that thought aside right now. Spoken Fest is all about voicing yourself, language no bar. Witness beautiful recitations in English, Hindi, Urdu and many other regional languages. And what more, Raghu Dixit will be treating the crowd to some of his famous Kannada songs and you’ll find yourself singing along to them as well. Now that’s something to look out for.
4) Family, friends, kids, better halves. There is something for everyone.
Weekends are legit family time. Which is why, Spoken Fest makes for the ideal family outing as there is something to engage everyone in. Masterclasses and workshops are the perfect way to learn something new with your toddlers, or your friends. Grandparents would love to catch up on poetry in the new age. The music that has been curated is easy on the ears and something people of all ages can enjoy.
5) A weekend at Spoken Fest is not heavy on the pocket
At just INR 1299 (inclusive of GST) for a season pass, you can enjoy both days at the festival. If you can only make it for one day, a day’s pass will cost you just INR 799 (inclusive of GST). Pretty cool, huh? Book them right here.Β
6) Rub shoulders with some pretty big names in the business
Roshan Abbas, Kalki Koechlin, Piyush Mishra, Raghu Dixit, Swanand Kirkire, Gaurav Kapur, Sandhya Mridul, Mini Mathur, Tanmay Bhat… we can go on and on. This festival is blurring the barrier between attendees and these special guests, hence giving you the chance to probably run into one of them and strike up a conversation, or even tell them a story to remember. We’re sure they will have a lot of learnings to share with you too.
7) The best place to meet like-minded souls like thyself
Do you know what you have in common with the guy/girl standing next to you? The love for words. Be sure to run into some interesting people and build connections that would have otherwise been close to impossible to establish. You might be talking to your future soulmate, intellectual soulmate or even your future colleague/boss. The possibilities are endless.
8) Leave inspired
Everybody started from somewhere. So, if you are seeing a performer confidently reciting his/her story on stage, it has taken them a while and a whole lot of courage to get there. Spoken Fest could just be the little spark that ignites the writer’s flame in you. Who knows, maybe you will be the one performing in the next edition. We hope so too.
So, if you haven’t booked your passes yet, it isn’t too late. Just head right here for your tickets and be sure to follow Spoken Fest on Facebook for updates.
We hope to see you there!