Build
An exploration with sticks and clay (3-5) |
ToysToy Theatre / Sidharth Varma & Krisha Kurup (India) |
Sunday, October 11th, 11 am; Monday, October 12th, 10 am – Tanzhalle Wiesenburg (Berlin Wedding) and Thursday, October 15th, 9:30 am & 11 am – Nachbarschaftshaus at Körnerpark (Berlin Neukölln) |
About the production
There is never a moment of boredom if you know how to play.
"Build" is a performance for toddlers about the worlds that our curiosity can open. Two young people, one with sticks and the other with clay, explore the possibilities of play while co-creating and co-existing. They encounter the different sizes and shapes of their materials, offer them sounds, find a rhythm and discover ways of being together while embarking on a journey of music and movements.
"Build" is inspired by the open-ended, improvised games children create when left to their own devices. As the title suggests, the performance inhabits a "build and re-build" world of constant evolution and invention. This non-verbal performance offers an imaginative perspective on natural materials as objects for play. BUILD uses sticks, clay, rhythm and movement to create a multi-sensory experience that invites young audiences into a celebration of creative exploration. Through play, curiosity, and gentle human interaction, the performers transform an empty, silent space into one filled with comfort and imagination.
About the artist(s) / group
Sidharth Varma is an actor, theatre maker, and storyteller based in Kochi, India. He works in the intersection of theatre, film and body movement. In 2021, Sidharth received the ThinkArts Grant, through which he co-created 'Gajam', a digital theatre performance for children. The production was showcased at the ThinkArts Festival for Young Audiences 2021 and ŻiguŻajg International Arts Festival for Children & Young People 2022 in Malta. Sidharth also facilitates workshops for children aged 4 to 12, encouraging them to explore storytelling through body, voice and imagination. His recent theatre performances include, 'Hand of God,' an interactive theatre installation, which was most recently performed at the Kochi Muziris Biennale 2026. His other play credits include 'Guards at the Taj', and 'A Very Normal Family'. Sidharth has appeared in Malayalam and Tamil films and series productions. His most recent on-screen appearance is in 'Pharma', a JioHotstar original web series.
Krisha Kurup is an actor, Bharatanatyam dancer, storyteller, mandala artist and yoga practitioner from Mumbai, Maharashtra. She holds a Diploma in Yoga Teacher Training from The Yoga Institute (Goa chapter) and is also trained in Marathi Sugam Sangeet and Hindustani classical music. As a voice artist, she lent her voice to the Hindi dubbing of the children's television series '3rd and Bird', for CBeebies - a BBC network program. As a screen actor, Krisha has over 15 credits including 'Governor' in Hindi, 'Goli Soda 2' in Tamil, 'Clap' in Tamil and Telugu, 'B 32 to 44' and 'Ronth' in Malayalam. She has been training in Bharatanatyam since the age of six and continues to perform at prestigious festivals, including the record-breaking Bekal Gokulam Goushala Vaishaka Natanam 2026. She is also a double-degree holder in Advertising from SIES College Of Arts, Science & Commerce (Autonomous), Sion and Psychology from the University of Mumbai.
Sidharth and Krisha (as ToysToy Theatre) are currently touring 'BUILD' and 'The Sweetest Mango', a storytelling performance about courage, friendship, and overcoming fear.
Concept and direction: Sidharth Varma
Devised and performed by: Krisha Kurup, Sidharth Varma
Costume: Krisha Kurup
Photography: David Beecroft
Production management: ToysToy Theatre
World premiere: July 2025
Duration: 25 minutes + 10 minutes post-performance playtime
Language: No spoken language, sounds using clapping and stomping, notes and rhythm inspired by Indian classical and folk music
“Build” is a production by ToysToy Theatre.
Originally created as a solo work as part of the FRATZ Research Labs 2024 in cooperation with FRATZ International, Berlin, and ThinkArts, Kolkata.
Foto ©David Beecroft
