Dear Drama lover,
We finally got Q out of the freezer and into the rehearsal room. 'Project S.T.R.I.P.' opened last month to rave reviews and great houses at Prithvi Theatre and Sathaye College Auditorium. But our limited engagement of the play is on its final leg. Our last five shows will play out at the NCPA Experimental from 1-5 July 2009. So if you want to catch it, this is your last chance. If you already have, send people! We do hope to see you at the shows.
In other theatre news around the city, Akvarious makes their new offering for the quarter (quite a habit it's becoming). A children's play based on Enid Blyton's 'The Mystery of the Pantomime Cat' on the 18th of June at Prithvi. The show marks the directorial debut of one of the theatre's biggest supporters, Meera Khurana. Another debutante director is Anuvab Pal, who has also written '1-888-Dial-India' which will open on the 5th of July at St. Andrews Auditorium. The second half of the month is dominated by Motley who are back with 'Ismat Aapa Ke Naam Part 1 and 2', 'Waiting for Godot' and 'Katha Collage 1' as well opening a new play, 'The Caine Mutiny Court Martial'. Their festival runs from the 13th to 26th of July.
In this month's edition, Avinash D'Souza reviews 'Project S.T.R.I.P.' and theatre director and producer Akarsh Khurana shares his views on the Bombay theatre scene.
Also, our Great Text Reading will be happening on the last Monday of the month, 27th July.
Yours Sincerely,
On Behalf of Q Theatre Productions,
Himanshu.
Editor, The Script.
Trivia Time
Forms of Theatre : Origin of Musicals
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining music, songs, spoken dialogue and dance. Musical theatre in Europe dates back to the theatre of the ancient Greeks, who included music and dance in their stage comedies and tragedies in the 5th century BC.The dramatists Aeschylus and Sophocles composed their own music to accompany their plays and choreographed the dances of the chorus. The 3rd-century BCE Roman comedies of Plautus included song and dance routines performed with orchestrations.The musical theatre of India also dates back to Antiquity. Ancient Sanskrit drama had a highly stylized nature with an emphasis on spectacle, where music, dance and gesture combined to create a vibrant artistic unit with dance and mime being central to the dramatic experience. Traditional folk theatre became popular from around the 10th century with the decline of Sanskrit theatre. These regional traditions include the Jatra of Bengal, the Ramlila of Uttar Pradesh, and the Terukkuttu of Tamil Nadu. In particular, Parsi theatre blended realism and fantasy, music and dance, narrative and spectacle, earthy dialogue and ingenuity of stage presentation, integrating them into a dramatic discourse of melodrama.
Corno-Q-Pia
Q Theatre Productions proudly presents its brand new play "Project S.T.R.I.P.", a comic satire written by Ram Ganesh Kamatham and directed by Q. The play tells the story of the discovery of a native island community and their contribution towards the ‘progress and trade’ of the modern world.
We opened to a rapturous audience and ran successfully for a week at the Prithvi Theatre. It was hearting to see people coming back to watch the play for a second and third time. Unfortunately the momentum slowed at Sathaye College Auditorium where despite there being a low turnout, all those who saw the show had a kind word to say.
We opened to a rapturous audience and ran successfully for a week at the Prithvi Theatre. It was hearting to see people coming back to watch the play for a second and third time. Unfortunately the momentum slowed at Sathaye College Auditorium where despite there being a low turnout, all those who saw the show had a kind word to say.
The cast includes Neil Bhoopalam, Gulshan Devivah, Dilnaz Irani, Harssh A. Singh, Shruti Sridharan and Tariq Vasudeva.
We are now on the final stretch of shows! Last 5 show only!! Catch it NOW!!!!
For more details please call 26392688 or email us on qtheatreproductions@gmail.com
NCPA Experimental : 1st - 5th July 2009 at 7pm
For tickets: Call 22824567/ 39895050
or log on to: www.bookmyshow.com
For more details, log on to Click Here
To join us on facebook, Click Here
GREAT TEXTS
On the last Monday of each month people meet in Q's drawing room to read a play they may have heard of but not necessarily have read. Writer's come to see how the greats wrote, actors come to play multiple parts and theatre lovers come because it keeps them in touch with the art form. It is open all and everyone takes turns in playing characters from the play. Discussions ensue after over tea and biscuits.
In June we read Boris Vian's 'The Empire Buliders' . It turned out to be a weird and strange story about a family who keeps climbing floors to escape the Noise. An all male turn out and an eleven page monologue made it an evening to remember. Some incredibly witty dialogue, but the play left most confused.
In the month of July, we will be reading Katherine Thomson's 'Diving for Pearls' - "a story of two ordinary people discarded by the lean, mean 90's world."
Katherine Thomson (born 1955) is an Australian playwright and screenwriter.Katherine Thomsonwas born in Manly, New South Wales and began her theatrical involvement as a teenager with the Australian Theatre for Young People. She helped found Theatre South in Wollongong and acted in many of their productions.Thomson has written for a number of television series. She has also served as a member of the board of the Sydney Theatre Company for a number of years.
Diving for Pearls was First performed in 1991. The play is very much set in the industrial relations climate of the '80s. It provides an interesting new perspective to view it from 1998, when the prevailing tone has shifted from multiskilling and quality circles to guard dogs and balaclavas. Although that's only a few years in chronology, it seems like ages in social terms.
We will be reading it on the 27th of July at 7:30pm at 18 Anukool, Sq. Ldr. Harminder Singh Marg, 7 Bungalows. Next to Daljit Gym. All are welcome. If you need directions call Himanshu on 26392688 or 9820356150.We hope to see you at these and many more events.
In 1999, Theatre Group Bombay (TG) approached Q Theatre Productions (QTP) to showcase younger theatre groups in a vibrant festive atmosphere and thus 'Thespo' was born. Thespo was created to give young performers an opportunity to hone their talents on a simulated professional stage. Through Thespo, TG and QTP hope to recognize and encourage new talent as well as create a new generation of theatre goers.Join us as we explore the stage anew with loads of cutting edge youth theatre, platform performances and workshops conducted by the who’s who in theatre. Originally started as just a one off festival at the end of each year, Prithvi Theatre and Thespo have joined hands to provide a more regular show casing of the best youth theatre talent in the country. Thus in March 2007, Thespo at Prithvi was born. The first Tuesday and Wednesday each month, the next generation of theatre wallahs stride across the hallowed Prithvi stage.
Aside from regular full length theatre, Thespo at Prithvi is also providing an opportunity for young theatre groups to showcase their short plays, as a pre show appetizer before the main show on each Thespo at Prithvi show day. If you have a play that you think can work in the outdoor areas of Prithvi Theatre, email us at thespo@gmail.com
Thespo at Prithvi...it’s not just on. It’s full-on!!!
Thespo at Prithvi in June :
In the month of June, Thespo at Prithvi presented Quaff Theatre’s Skeleton Woman – Winner of the Metroplus Playwright Award 2009. The play was performed by Kalki Koechlin and Prashant Prakash and was directed by Nayantara Kotian. The play deals with creativity & death… the imagination & the mundane… geese & skeletons… and love & writing – not necessarily in that order.
The response to show was beyond belief which was evident as 3 out of the 4 shows were house-full.
We are on a break in July, but will be back in July. Keep watching this space!
We are on the look-out for new plays that can be a part of Thespo at Prithvi for the coming months. So if your under 25, and you have play ready that's an hour long, get in touch with us at 9820356150 or email us at thespo@gmail.com
Aside from regular full length theatre, Thespo at Prithvi is also providing an opportunity for young theatre groups to showcase their short plays, as a pre show appetizer before the main show on each Thespo at Prithvi show day. If you have a play that you think can work in the outdoor areas of Prithvi Theatre, email us at thespo@gmail.com
Thespo at Prithvi...it’s not just on. It’s full-on!!!
Thespo at Prithvi in June :
In the month of June, Thespo at Prithvi presented Quaff Theatre’s Skeleton Woman – Winner of the Metroplus Playwright Award 2009. The play was performed by Kalki Koechlin and Prashant Prakash and was directed by Nayantara Kotian. The play deals with creativity & death… the imagination & the mundane… geese & skeletons… and love & writing – not necessarily in that order.
The response to show was beyond belief which was evident as 3 out of the 4 shows were house-full.
We are on a break in July, but will be back in July. Keep watching this space!
We are on the look-out for new plays that can be a part of Thespo at Prithvi for the coming months. So if your under 25, and you have play ready that's an hour long, get in touch with us at 9820356150 or email us at thespo@gmail.com
India's premiere youth theatre festival enters its 11th year!!
Preparations begin immediately and the search for performers, plays, musicians and volunteers is on. This year the festival promises more exciting events than ever before, so come to the Orientation Meeting and find out how you can get involved in India's youth theatre movement.
Thespo 11 Orientation Meeting, Bombay:
Saturday, 25 July 2009, 3pm. Prithvi House.
If you are from Delhi, Calcutta, Bangalore or Pune email us about when we are coming to your city!
For more details just email us at thespo@gmail.com or call +919833186360 (office hours only please).
Preparations begin immediately and the search for performers, plays, musicians and volunteers is on. This year the festival promises more exciting events than ever before, so come to the Orientation Meeting and find out how you can get involved in India's youth theatre movement.
Thespo 11 Orientation Meeting, Bombay:
Saturday, 25 July 2009, 3pm. Prithvi House.
If you are from Delhi, Calcutta, Bangalore or Pune email us about when we are coming to your city!
For more details just email us at thespo@gmail.com or call +919833186360 (office hours only please).
Point of View
This month Avinash D'Souza reviews QTP's 'Project S.T.R.I.P.'. The views expressed in this article are those of the author. You are welcome to agree, disagree or comment by emailing us at qtheatreproductions@gmail.com
Statutory Warning: Consume as appropriate to condition
Not even in Amsterdam would they advertise sex so openly. But Bombay being Bombay, hope springs eternal...bolna padta hai. Currently being staged at Prithvi, Project S.T.R.I.P. is a satirical paradox written by Ram Ganesh Kamatham and directed by Quasar Thakore Padamsee. The cast consists of Shruti Sridharan, Neil Bhoopalam, Dilnaz Irani, Harssh Singh, and Tariq Vasudeva. Th
is play marks Quasar's directing comeback and is a million sights better than Sanjay Kapoor's. Difference: the man has obscene talent which comes through in the direction of this play. The play focuses on the impacts of development on the native inhabitants of a fictitious island in the Bay of Bengal. The subtext of the play surfaces from the outset as the island’s commercial recognition is translated to imply discovery and the play overtly deals with the negative aspects of unstructured development. Issues such as integration of the primitive, the fallout of globalization and the balance of progress against cultural rituals are grappled with. Project S.T.R.I.P. begins in rather unpromising fashion with imbalanced stage energy and strong physicality. As the play progresses, the energy evens out to a staccato and more emphasis is drawn to the issues being addressed. The male and female leads are played by Harssh Singh (Roy, a retired navy man now recon expert) and Dilnaz Irani (Aarti, an anthropologist/conflicted social activist/…) and they do a very fair job of leading us through the storyline through their characters. Roy has his dry humour and Aarti has an honorary specialization in the ENT area. The corporation re presented by Shruti Sridharan and Tariq Vasudeva, displays admirable...commitment and focus (insert endless loop here). On a serious note, though Tariq's performance is an abrasion on the senses; that's exactly what it's intended as and he does a stellar job. Neil Bhoopalam. The man is a funny. Now what more I say macha? Ayababubenbadademamen.
Lighting, set design. It isn’t t
hat kind of play. Honest. That said, it has Arghya and Dhanendra (people I’ve previously raved about) on lights and set design so it’s really quite sorted. J I don't normally notice costuming but this time I did cos it was spot on. Right from the leather patch blazer of the out of place navy man to the REALLY tight (my sympathies Tariq) suit of the yuppie corporate head honcho. It’s not something one really cottons on to but it lends a lot to characterization.
I think, one of the main reasons to watch this play is the sieve through which it has been filtered. As opposed to the tradition of treating the script as gospel and finding actors to fit the mould, the script has been arrived at through a flexible and op en-ended stint with a group of actors. With a brief outline of the story to work with, the characters were etched by the actors instead of the other way around. While such lab-work has shortfalls, QTP has managed to keep the stern pointed in the right direction in terms of storyline and context. It’s not a new approach for sure but it’s novel for Mumbai theatre for sure. If, like yours truly, you’re a semi-sadist you won’t fail to enjoy the arterial dark humour of this play. Your mind will conjure metaphors that cannot be rightly attributed to Q or Ram. And then you’ll reach. Which is what theatre should aspire to make the audience do. This play is like olives: an acquired taste. You will like it or you won’t. It's a very involved piece with a pov on some serious issues and it must be respected for that. I can't help but link this play to
something Ram had written a couple of years ago for the Thespo 2007 magazine. He implied that theatre is a social process and that the final stage is the absorption and regurgitation of the audience. Or close enough. S.T.R.I.P. facilitates that but the true brilliance of the penmanship is that the real subtext is cleverly vignetted. That the consequences of development are a process and not a static-state switch. The changing strips at the back of the stage are an indicative metaphor (I think) of that ideology. S.T.R.I.P. spares us the naiveté of a silver bullet and keeps away from ... (Suitable verbatim analogy: “He’s masturbating. On my screen.”). There is a certain ambivalence to the depiction of a rather strong message in that it’s neither a balls-out comedy nor a harbinger of doom. It leads you but lets you. It’s not one of those plays that forces you to think. You have to choose to. Or hick-hocks rulz…
is play marks Quasar's directing comeback and is a million sights better than Sanjay Kapoor's. Difference: the man has obscene talent which comes through in the direction of this play. The play focuses on the impacts of development on the native inhabitants of a fictitious island in the Bay of Bengal. The subtext of the play surfaces from the outset as the island’s commercial recognition is translated to imply discovery and the play overtly deals with the negative aspects of unstructured development. Issues such as integration of the primitive, the fallout of globalization and the balance of progress against cultural rituals are grappled with. Project S.T.R.I.P. begins in rather unpromising fashion with imbalanced stage energy and strong physicality. As the play progresses, the energy evens out to a staccato and more emphasis is drawn to the issues being addressed. The male and female leads are played by Harssh Singh (Roy, a retired navy man now recon expert) and Dilnaz Irani (Aarti, an anthropologist/conflicted social activist/…) and they do a very fair job of leading us through the storyline through their characters. Roy has his dry humour and Aarti has an honorary specialization in the ENT area. The corporation re presented by Shruti Sridharan and Tariq Vasudeva, displays admirable...commitment and focus (insert endless loop here). On a serious note, though Tariq's performance is an abrasion on the senses; that's exactly what it's intended as and he does a stellar job. Neil Bhoopalam. The man is a funny. Now what more I say macha? Ayababubenbadademamen.Lighting, set design. It isn’t t
hat kind of play. Honest. That said, it has Arghya and Dhanendra (people I’ve previously raved about) on lights and set design so it’s really quite sorted. J I don't normally notice costuming but this time I did cos it was spot on. Right from the leather patch blazer of the out of place navy man to the REALLY tight (my sympathies Tariq) suit of the yuppie corporate head honcho. It’s not something one really cottons on to but it lends a lot to characterization.I think, one of the main reasons to watch this play is the sieve through which it has been filtered. As opposed to the tradition of treating the script as gospel and finding actors to fit the mould, the script has been arrived at through a flexible and op en-ended stint with a group of actors. With a brief outline of the story to work with, the characters were etched by the actors instead of the other way around. While such lab-work has shortfalls, QTP has managed to keep the stern pointed in the right direction in terms of storyline and context. It’s not a new approach for sure but it’s novel for Mumbai theatre for sure. If, like yours truly, you’re a semi-sadist you won’t fail to enjoy the arterial dark humour of this play. Your mind will conjure metaphors that cannot be rightly attributed to Q or Ram. And then you’ll reach. Which is what theatre should aspire to make the audience do. This play is like olives: an acquired taste. You will like it or you won’t. It's a very involved piece with a pov on some serious issues and it must be respected for that. I can't help but link this play to
something Ram had written a couple of years ago for the Thespo 2007 magazine. He implied that theatre is a social process and that the final stage is the absorption and regurgitation of the audience. Or close enough. S.T.R.I.P. facilitates that but the true brilliance of the penmanship is that the real subtext is cleverly vignetted. That the consequences of development are a process and not a static-state switch. The changing strips at the back of the stage are an indicative metaphor (I think) of that ideology. S.T.R.I.P. spares us the naiveté of a silver bullet and keeps away from ... (Suitable verbatim analogy: “He’s masturbating. On my screen.”). There is a certain ambivalence to the depiction of a rather strong message in that it’s neither a balls-out comedy nor a harbinger of doom. It leads you but lets you. It’s not one of those plays that forces you to think. You have to choose to. Or hick-hocks rulz…AK's Various Thoughts
Theatre Director Akarsh Khurana shares his views on theatre in Bombay and across India.
June was a month that took away hell of a lot from The Arts.
The world lost, among others,
Habib Tanvir (a bona fide theatre legend),
Ustad Ali Akbar Khan (noted sarod player, nominated for five Grammys),
Farah Fawcett (one of Charlie’s original Angels) and
Michael Jackson (who needs no introduction).
A couple of Akvarious members lost family members (The Grandmother of Will, and The Grandfather of Commotion).
Ekjute lost a wonderfully talented thirteen year old actress (who played Shanti Kabootar in their recent hit JungleDhoom.Com) to an accident.
Terrible losses, all. I hope those left behind find the strength within to move on.
On a much smaller, selfish scale, we lost a very valuable costume trunk. Four hours before a sponsored show
of Afsaneh, our trunk got stolen, four lanes away from the venue, from right under our noses. Sarees and lehengas that had been maintained for over 75 years, with real gold and silver work, that were given to the production to bring in authenticity, grandeur and perhaps nostalgia. More than the actual cost, which was high enough, the emotional loss, especially to Purva (writer, choreographer), whose grandmother they belonged to, can only be imagined. One of the primary characters in the play (Beni Bai, performed by Trishla Patel) is based on that very grandmother. This episode came as a harsh and timely reality check about how our systems need to be far more efficient and responsible. Many socks need to be pulled way up.
On the upside, hats off to a phenomenal cast for pulling the show off under this duress. Till fifteen minutes before the show, new costumes were being sourced or bought (that too, on a Sunday). Simultaneously, cast mem
bers were driving a cop around Bandra, watching him try to beat some information out of local junkies. And all this while coping with the magnitude of the loss. And the show, as it must, did go on.
By the way, in all seriousness, if anyone ever sees either the saree or lehenga in the photos attached, at a stall in a market, or on someone at a wedding, do let us know. There can’t be too many of the same kind.
On the theatre front, I revisited Aranya’s Aisa Kehte Hai, which I enjoyed a lot more this time around, also because most cast members have, since the opening, become friends of mine and have acquired the post of performers (and persons) I enjoy watching.
June also saw the opening of Quasar Thakore Padamsee’s much awaited return to direction, Project S.T.R.I.P. It had a terrific run at Prithvi, did some threat assessment at Sathaye College, and is now on its way to the acquisition of NCPA Experimental.
The play has been written (splendidly) by Ram Ganesh Kamatham, who featured in the last Writers’ Bloc festival (with Crab, produced by QTP, which is run by Quasar Thakore Padamsee), along with Anuvab Pal (with The President is Coming, also produced by QTP), who is now directing a play – 1-888-Dial-India – produced by ACE, which belongs to another Padamsee.
Such a small world, I tell you.
OVERCOMING ODDS
June was a month that took away hell of a lot from The Arts.
The world lost, among others,
Habib Tanvir (a bona fide theatre legend),
Ustad Ali Akbar Khan (noted sarod player, nominated for five Grammys),
Farah Fawcett (one of Charlie’s original Angels) and
Michael Jackson (who needs no introduction).
A couple of Akvarious members lost family members (The Grandmother of Will, and The Grandfather of Commotion).
Ekjute lost a wonderfully talented thirteen year old actress (who played Shanti Kabootar in their recent hit JungleDhoom.Com) to an accident.
Terrible losses, all. I hope those left behind find the strength within to move on.
On a much smaller, selfish scale, we lost a very valuable costume trunk. Four hours before a sponsored show
of Afsaneh, our trunk got stolen, four lanes away from the venue, from right under our noses. Sarees and lehengas that had been maintained for over 75 years, with real gold and silver work, that were given to the production to bring in authenticity, grandeur and perhaps nostalgia. More than the actual cost, which was high enough, the emotional loss, especially to Purva (writer, choreographer), whose grandmother they belonged to, can only be imagined. One of the primary characters in the play (Beni Bai, performed by Trishla Patel) is based on that very grandmother. This episode came as a harsh and timely reality check about how our systems need to be far more efficient and responsible. Many socks need to be pulled way up.On the upside, hats off to a phenomenal cast for pulling the show off under this duress. Till fifteen minutes before the show, new costumes were being sourced or bought (that too, on a Sunday). Simultaneously, cast mem
bers were driving a cop around Bandra, watching him try to beat some information out of local junkies. And all this while coping with the magnitude of the loss. And the show, as it must, did go on.By the way, in all seriousness, if anyone ever sees either the saree or lehenga in the photos attached, at a stall in a market, or on someone at a wedding, do let us know. There can’t be too many of the same kind.
On the theatre front, I revisited Aranya’s Aisa Kehte Hai, which I enjoyed a lot more this time around, also because most cast members have, since the opening, become friends of mine and have acquired the post of performers (and persons) I enjoy watching.
June also saw the opening of Quasar Thakore Padamsee’s much awaited return to direction, Project S.T.R.I.P. It had a terrific run at Prithvi, did some threat assessment at Sathaye College, and is now on its way to the acquisition of NCPA Experimental.
The play has been written (splendidly) by Ram Ganesh Kamatham, who featured in the last Writers’ Bloc festival (with Crab, produced by QTP, which is run by Quasar Thakore Padamsee), along with Anuvab Pal (with The President is Coming, also produced by QTP), who is now directing a play – 1-888-Dial-India – produced by ACE, which belongs to another Padamsee.
Such a small world, I tell you.
Curtain Call
"The theatre, for all its artifices, depicts life in a sense more truly than history, because the medium has a kindred movement to that of real life, though an artificial setting and form."
- George Santayana
- George Santayana
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