Watermans presents 'Wedding Album', a new English language play directed by the acclaimed actor & director, Lilette Dubey. Written by the playwright Girish Karnad, 'Wedding Album' explores modes of courtship in a changing Indian landscape. This dark comedy, is set in a middle-class family home in Karnataka, where twenty – two year old, Vidula is looking forward to her arranged marriage to a Non Resident Indian in the US; her sister, Hema, who lives in Sydney, arrives back for the ensuing wedding, whilst brother, Rohit, is torn between love and success.

The play explores traditional Indian wedding rituals in a globalised technologically savvy India, where protected by the gaze of the family, a couple would originally meet under a wedding podium but today, SMS, email and Skype connects them even before they have got hitched! Featuring a cast of nine actors, Wedding Album is a poignant tale of love and longing in a shining India. Each snapshot shows members of the family frozen in a contemporary projection of respectability, but underneath is a double image with a penumbra of hidden life!

About Lilette Dubey

Lilette Dubey is an actor and theatre director. She has appeared in over 30 films, including, Saas Bahu Aur Sensex (2008); Baghbaan (2003); Chalte Chalte (2003); Monsoon Wedding (2001) and Zubaida (2001). Alongside acting in popular cinema, Lillete is passionate about theatre. She was among the original group of founder actors of the renowned Theatre Action Group, Delhi and she later founded Primetime Theatre in 1981 to produce English language theatre in India. The Company has been going for over 25 years and have been regular visitors to Watermans with their productions: Dance Like a Man (2003); Womanly Voices (2005); Sammy! (2007) and Wedding Album (2009)

About Girish Karnad

Girish Karnad, 71, is a playwright, scholar, actor and movie director. A graduate of Karnataka University he was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford, where he studied, PPE. He is best known as a playwright who uses history and mythology to tackle contemporary issues, but, he has also worked as a chairman of FTII and director of the Nehru Centre, London (2000-2003). Karnad has written over 14 plays in Kannada including Bali: The Sacrifice which was performed at the Leicester Haymarket in 2002.

As an actor, he has appeared in over 50 films including Iqbal (2005); Dor (2006) Hey Ram (2000); Umbartha (1982) and Nishant (1975); scripted (Bhumika:The Role, 1977) and directed ten films (including Utsav, 1984). He has recently been shooting in London, for 'Life Goes On', the debut film by Sangeeta Datta. Karnad is the recipient of many awards including the two highest literary honours in India; Sahitya Academy Award (1994) and Jnanpith Award (1998). He was also given the Padma Bhushan in 1992 rewarding distinguished service of high order to the nation in any field.

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