Godrej Theatre

THE METAMORPHOSIS

A performed reading of Franz Kafka’s seminal novella

Performed by Readings in the Shed

Performance supported by Goethe Institut Max Mueller Bhavan

Performed by Aryaman Satish, Students of B.Voc Theatre & Stagecraft, Wilson College

Adapted for the Stage by Himali Kothari

Movement Design by Ajinkya Ovhal

Directed by Nikhil Katara

It was a morning like every other morning. Except for Gregor Samsa. He woke up to discover that he had turned into a giant bug. Would he be able to come to terms with this new form and get on with his life? Would his family accept him? Gregor grapples with these questions, and his extra set of limbs, in Readings in the Shed’s adaptation of Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis. This reading performance is complemented by a movement choreography that illustrates Samsa’s internal struggle with himself and his place in the social structure.

15th November: BOOK IN FOCUS*: 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM

17 November 2024: 7:15 PM to 7:50 PM

BOOK IN FOCUS: The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka

A staged reading followed by an open discussion on the novella

Chaired by Hrishi K

To commemorate the 100th death anniversary of the famed novelist Franz Kafka, one of his best known works The Metamorphosis, the story of salesman Gregor Samsa who wakes up one morning to find himself inexplicably transformed into a huge insect, has been chosen as this year’s Book In Focus at Literature Live! The Mumbai Litfest 2024.

Kafka’s unique world fused realism and fantasy, depicting solitary protagonists entrapped in bizarre situations and predicaments which seemed surreal and unsolvable. The impact of The Metamorphosis has been such that it has become part of global popular culture. It has been adapted to stage, radio, film, dance, even video games, and was most famously referenced in the Rolling Stones’s album of the same name where the cover depicted the band members’ heads replaced by bugs.

The discussion around the book promises to be lively, insightful and entertaining as the book lends itself to various interpretations: the deprived existence of many individuals in society, being crushed by the overwhelming burdens of daily life, the artist’s struggle for validation in an unsympathetic society, and so on.

Adding a unique touch to this year’s Book In Focus, the discussion will be preceded by a reading performance and movement choreography by the group Readings in the Shed, which illustrate Samsa’s internal and external struggles.

An immersive visual reality installation which places the viewer right in the middle of the book, is also a related experience available to visitors at this year’s Mumbai Literature Live Festival.