A BRAND NEW MAGICAL & MUSICAL FANTASY FOR LITTLE CHILDREN AT KINGDOM OF DREAMS

Adapted for stage from a story by Roald Dahl the magical musical set in a mad wonderland is completely bewitching for little children ..

This magical musical fantasy ‘Wizwits’ is the third and latest production from the House of Kingdom of Dreams and marked their 4th anniversary last Tuesday. Scripted and directed by well-known theatre personality Lushin Dubey and Bubbles Sabharwal an ample dose of song and dance in this musical drama comes with the social message –‘victory of good over evil’.

ROUGH AN EDGE OF THE SEAT ROLLER COASTER RIDE

Staged at their newly opened venue, ‘ShowShaa’, a 250-space auditorium, the audience transports into a wonderland as fantasy is recreated. So replete with LED backdrop walls, side wings, LED framed walls that transform the entire ambience into different settings the show begins. At the Poo Poo Hotel, a strange place where each object springs to life at just one touch is where the story begins. Characters are as interesting as the ‘piano man’ who plays by itself, the 'lady vase’ whose arms are always in motion and affable receptionists ‘Mr. Kake and his wife Sunita’. Under the very same roof, the scary Wizards and Witches (the Wizwits) are holding their annual convention. And it is the same time when a mother arrives at the hotel with a group of children. These bat winged creatures hatch a bizarre plan to destroy children all over the world by feeding them poisoned chocolates and turning them into mice! But a few children with the help of the hotel owners overpower these witches and kill them. And they also change the mice into children again by pouring a magic potion they had snatched from the witches into a drum, along with the mice. In the end Good wins over Evil! What I loved most about the show is the juxtaposed western elements with everyday Indian sentiments, for example the peppy number ‘Who Let the Dog's Out’ for the witches on one hand and the mother of the children in the play dons the garb of a Delhi woman - loud and stylish on the other and all through fun & frolic, song and dance, keeps the little children glued to their seats!

FAST FACTS

Wizwits will be played at ‘ShowShaa Theatre’ at the Kingdom of Dreams from Tuesday to Friday at 6:00pm and Saturday and Sunday at 12:30pm and 6:00pm each on weekends.

If you are an adult you may prefer the ‘Zangoora’ or ‘Jhumroo’ but if you are a parent of a 5 to 6 year old child, you would enjoy the show too as it would bring out the child in you when you see yours totally involved.

COMEDIAN VIR DAS IN STRESS

An invite to meet ‘ Vir Das’ the famed Comedian at ‘Kingdom Of Dreams’ awaited in my mailbox and I sure was excited…Just like some people have a fetish for a good steak , I have one for Good Humour and off I set with my daughter in tow with great gusto.

Being a local Gurgaonniwaasi, I feel rather proud that a dream destination like Kingdom of Dreams is right here in my neighbourhood…and more often than not I have watched both the shows ‘Zangoora’ and ‘Jhumroo’ sometimes to entertain some firang friends and sometimes to simply entertain myself with the family.

SMILE PLEASE

Anyways back to ‘Vir Das’, who was actually there to promote his upcoming film ‘Amit Sahni ki List’ at the glitzy ‘IIFA’ hall at KOD. His arrival was a wee bit late but he did manage to say something about his film to the press in the speculated time. He was then whisked off to ‘Nautanki Mahal’ (with a promise to come back in 30 minutes for a one on one with the media) just as ‘Zangoora’ was ending so as to surprise the guests with his presence and of course promote the film. Fortunately or unfortunately I got to sit next to him and as I tried to get friendly so as to interview him later…he introduced me to his PR who said, ‘we will connect’ post this. Anyways all Vir asked me was ‘Do you have time on you?’ At first I thought he was flirting but soon realised he was just asking to know what the time was. I said ‘5 Pm’ and he just nodded his head stressfully. A comedian in stress…hmmm, doesn’t sound right…haina?

ON STAGE AT THE NAUTANKI MAHAL

That said on stage at the Nautanki Mahal ‘Vir Das’  the ace stand-up comedian and now Bollywood star, mingled with adoring fans and visitors at Kingdom of Dreams, who could not get enough of him. The excited crowds responded with enthusiasm and kept asking for more. 

WHY THIS STRESSED LOOK???

And I rushed back to the IIFA hall so as to chit chat with him one on one! But where was ‘Vir Das’? He did not come back and left all the media stranded….We were told he had to rush to catch a flight to Singapore…Now I would call that being rather disorganised, if you have said you are available till 7:15 …didn’t you know you had a flight? Whatever!!! I sure was disappointed with Vir Das not even smiling properly when he was sitting next to me and then this disappearing act!! 

With nothing really left to do, we just had some yummy ‘ Vada Pao’ and ‘ Chai’ from the Mumbai counter at KOD and took some pics with the debutant heroine Anandita who was there for a very long time with her super excited family!

DEBUTANT ANANDITA AND AKANKSHA DEAN

As far as the film is concerned I really don’t know yet if I would be watching it …but would surely come back to Kingdom of Dreams for the Vada Pao and Jhumroo!