The Script, April 2010 - Issue 4

With the heat rising and school out, it means it is time for 'Summertime at Prithvi' Workshops for children. Thespo at Prithvi is also conducting its 'Dramabaazi' workshop as part of 'Summertime at Prithvi'. This month, some of our favourite plays, Aranya's 'Ilhaam', Ansh's 'Saa Hi Besura', Motley's 'Waiting for Godot' and Feroz Khan's 'Kuch Bhi Ho Sakta Hai' make a comeback to the stage and Lilette Dubey opens her brand new play 'Love on the Brink'. Also this month sees a resurgence of the short plays format with Ibid Productions 'Classic Milds', Rage's 'One on One' and Raell Padamsee celebrates the life of theatre legend, Pearl Padamsee with an evening of short plays 'Celebrating Pearl'.

In this month's edition, Dolly Thakore tells us about the history of 'Victoria and Abdul', Q gives us another weird countdown, Akarsh Khurana gives account of his trip to META and being involved in 2 new productions, Sneha Nair reviews 'One on One' and Avinash Kolhe checks out 'Chakravyuha' in Chennai.

QTP, is taking a bit of a breather till the Thespo at Prithvi 'Dramabaazi' commences and show of Some Girl(s) in May. But we are going to have a busy summer on the workshop front. So check that out if you are interested.


Trivia Time: History of Short Plays.
Khatijabai of Karmali Terrace: March shows
Some Girl(s): Back in Bandra!
Great Text: What are we going to read this month?
QTP Workshops: After Hours and Actors Intensive.
Thespo 12: Wants You!!!
Thespo at Prithvi: Dramabaazi Workshop!
Point of View: Sneha Nair reviews the Rage's newest play 'One on One'.
4 Corners: Avinash Kolhe gives an account of watching 'Chakravyuh' in Chennai.
AK's Various Thoughts: Akarsh Khurana shares his experience of META and being in 2 plays.
Dolly Thakore's 'Life in Theatre': Dolly Thakore gives an insight on the history of 'Victoria and Abdul'.
Q's Countdown: Q tells us about the 10 busiest freelance actors.
Up & Coming: Complete Schedule of what to watch in April.
Theatre Training: Workshops!
Auditions & Job Opportunities: Casting for a new play and hiring for back office.
Other Theatre News: World Theatre Day Address and Patsy Rodenburg on Theatre
Curtain Call: Jean Jacques Gautier on man and theatre!

Yours Sincerely,
On Behalf of Q Theatre Productions,

Himanshu.
Editor, The Script.

Trivia - History of Short Plays

The history of the short play can be traced back to the very origins of the Theatre.

In ancient Greece, dramatists traditionally included a short satyr play with their trilogy of tragedies presented at the dramatic competitions.

A short burlesque treatment of the classic myths, satyr plays generally poked fun at the gods or heroes in their mythical adventures and allowed for a bit of light fun after the heavy tragedies.

Pratinus is usually credited with having invented the genre sometime before 501 B.C.

When drama re-emerged in the middle ages, it was in the form of short liturgical plays that were gradually incorporated into church services and festivals.

Plays were developed for the birth of Christ and other popular biblical events.

By Shakespeare’s time, dramatic literature had developed to the point that it could challenge Greek drama in sophistication and power.

Many of the greatest dramatists to follow would try their hand at the short dramatic form, some of them producing works that rival their longer masterpieces in power and popularity.

In 1977, the Actors Theatre of Louisville’s Humana Festival of New American Plays took the short play a step further when it founded a brand new genre—the 10-minute play.

This new format was an immediate and explosive hit with audiences, allowing them to enjoy an entire buffet of theatre in one sitting.

Since that time, the 10-minute play has solidified its place in the canon of dramatic literature, and many theatres now include an evening of 10-minute plays in their production season.

In fact there is actually a 10 minute play festival in Australia called 'Short & Sweet' which is trying to open up a branch in India.

Khatijabai of Karmali Terrace

Khatijabai of Karmali Terrace

Our longest running keeps giving us new experiences. In March, we performed for two extremes. The Udayan Cultural Organisation and a group of students from Jamnabai School. And they were poles apart.

While the Udayan crowd are very warm, most were able to identify with the story of the ageing matriarch. But the packed NGMA was silent through most of the performance. An audience listening intently. A few suppressed laughs were heard at the jokes, but by and large the audience sat still and quiet, only to erupt into thunderous applause at the end.

The children of Jamnabai, however were a different ball game. As the lights went to black out before the show, a loud cheer was heard, followed by the customary 'dark room' noises. And then the customary back benchers stayed distracted throughout the show. What was fantastic though was the responses. Being a JVPD school, the parts in Gujarati drew special attention from the young audience. On the whole it was a first time theatre experience for many of the students, and hopefully they will continue to visit the theatre... and perhaps learn to behave a little better as an audience.

Some Girls - Back in Bandra in May!

SOME GIRL(S)
St. Andrews Auditorium
Sunday,16th May at 7:30pm

We're coming back!! 6 months after our last show in the suburbs, we are proud to present more shows of our newest hit play 'Some Girl(s)'.

Some Girl(s) is a sideways look at the typical, somewhat lost young man of today. A man, on the verge of getting married, sets off on a journey across India to meet his ex-girlfriends as a sort of penance. To bring closure to relationships he might have ruined. Is he just visiting ex girlfriends?
Or is he looking for the one that got away? Or is there more than meets the eye?

Written by Neil LaBute.

Adapted by Akarsh Khurana.

Directed by Nadir Khan.
The Cast: Mukul Chadda, Shivani Tanksale, Juhi Pande, Radhika Mital, Tarana Raja Kapoor.

Join them on this humorous ride of soul searching, name calling and apologies.

For more details call 26392688 or email: qtheatreproductions@gmail.com

To watch an inside look of the play, Click Here

Great Text Reading - Come Read a play with us!

On the last Monday of every 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 the month of February, we read Peter Shaffer's epic 'The Royal Hunt of the Sun'. Written in 1964, the plays potrays the destruction of the Inca Empire by conquistador Francisco Pizzaro.

A huge turnout helped with the huge cast of the play. The play depicted the clash of two cultures with religious misunderstandings and cultural mistrust. Although not many could sum up the play, one couldn't help feel pain of a society misunderstood.

In the month of April, we will be reading, ancient Greek playwright and father of tragedy, Aeschylus's "The Suppliants".

The play is probably the earliest of Aeschylus' surviving plays. The story, taken from the Epic Cycle, tells how the fifty daughters of Danaus, sought in marriage by their cousins, the fifty sons of Aegyptus, fled for protection to a place near Argos. The fifty suitors overtook them and through a messenger commanded the maidens to give themselves up; but at this point the king of Argos interfered, sending the suitors off about their business. The play closes with a hymn of thanksgiving sung by the chorus.

We will be reading it on the 26th of April 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 Quasar on 26392688 or 9821087261.

QTP Workshops

AFTER HOURS

In keeping with our commitment to promote art, after 6 successful & path-breaking years in dance & fitness, Arts in Motion proudly presents the ARTS IN MOTION THEATRE, a comprehensive experience involving theatre performances, acting, voice modulations, body language, script writing, direction, etc. to be conducted by Quasar Thakore Padamsee.

Arts in Motion Theatre will offer from time to time various modules.short courses, recreational classes, beginner & advance acting workshops, short plays etc, by prominent theatre companies from India & abroad as well as by stalwart theatre, television & film artists, attaching its very own recognized stamp of quality to the course.

'AFTER HOURS' is our special ice breaker/ explorator/ tester/nothing lost-everything gained, weekend acting course for a quick check to explore & determine latent potential & future career in theatre/films. Held in association with Q Theatre Productions, the program will include voice work, body language, theatre games, role playing, statues, miming, script writing & more.

With emphasis on acting going beyond observing to actual 'doing' the group is treated like a professional theatre troupe and all topics covered as though they were rehearsals and improvisations.The course will culminate in a short play on the final day to be performed for friends, family & public.

The program will begin Sat 24th April and will be held for a duration of 5 weeks, (8 sessions) every Sat 4-8pm & Sun 1-5pm. Participants must be over 15 years of age. No prior experience or background in theatre is required.

All participants will receive a completion certificate at the end of the workshop and also automatically get onto our database which will be offered to other theatre groups and off beat film makers.

Registrations open!!! Please call 9820183231 for further information.

F.A.Q's:

Following are answers to our most Frequently Asked Questions. Hope they answer most of your queries:

Where will the workshop be held?

39, T.V.Chidambaran Marg, Sion (E), Mumbai 400022

Who is eligible for this course?

Participants of the course do not necessarily need to have any prior experience or background in theatre. However, they have to be over 15 years of age.

How many participants will be there?

There will be not more than 12 participants.

Who is conducting?

The workshop is conducted by Quasar Thakore Padamsee. A theatre director and actor for Q Theatre Productions. He has been involved in the theatre for more than 10 years with some formal training from Singapore. Some of the productions he has been involved in are: All My Sons (Director), Lucky Ones (Director), Lunch Girls (Director), R&J: Romeo and Juliet (Producer), Minorities (Director), A View from the Stage (Director), Evita (Technical Advisor), The President is Coming (Producer), Project S.T.R.I.P. (Director). Recently he was also Assistant Director to Tim Supple’s international production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

What does the course cover?

This is a weekend acting course for working professionals. We begin with ice breakers and theatre games. Move on to voice work and body language followed by role playing, statues and mime. The participants also go through sessions on script writing and the course finally culminates in a short play on the final day to be performed for friends of the group. The entire course is designed as a workshop and there is virtually no sitting at a desk. The emphasis is that actors must do, so the group is treated like a theatre troupe and all topics are covered as though they were rehearsals and improvisations.

How many sessions does it include?

The workshop will be conducted in 8 sessions (4 hours each) over 5 weekends, starting from 24th of April 2010.

What language will it be conducted in?

The workshops will mainly be conducted in English but the skills learnt will be applicable for theatre in any language.

What will I get at the end of the workshop?

All participants receive a completion certificate at the end of the workshop and also automatically get onto our database which is often tapped by other theatre groups and off beat film makers. We will try and recommend members of the workshop to other groups and try and place them, but there is no guarantee about this.

How do I register?

Call 9820183231.

When is the last date for registration?

Friday, 23^rd April 2010.

What do I need to bring?

We require you to bring 2 passport size photographs with you for the registration.

ACTORS INTENSIVE

IT’S BACK!!! 1 Year after our last workshop, we are conducting our one week intensive acting workshop called ‘ACTOR’S INTENSIVE’.

The workshop will cover:

1) Voice work and body language

2) Major acting styles like the method, commedia, etc

3) Scoping out emotions, expressions and getting into character.

4) Playing of a text & character

The workshop will culminate into a short dramatisation on the final day to be performed for friends of the group.

The entire course is designed as a workshop and there is virtually no sitting at a desk.

The emphasis is that the actors must do, so the group is treated like a theatre troupe and all topics are covered as though they were rehearsals and improvisations.

Timings : 10am to 6pm.

Date : 7^th June 2010 to 13^th June 2010

Charges : Rs 7000/-

REGISTRATIONS NOW OPEN! LIMITED 8 SEATS ONLY!!!

For more details please call 26392688 or email us on qtheatreproductions@gmail.com

Thespo 12 - We Want You!

Founded in 1999 by Theatre Group Bombay (TG), India’s oldest English language theatre group, Thespo has been created to give young performers (under the age of 25) an opportunity to hone their talents, in the simulated environment of professional theatre. Giving teams the best infrastructure available, so that they can produce the best work possible. Guidance in terms of technical and dramatic knowledge is also provided to the teams.

From the humble beginnings of a one-act play festival, the movement has grown into a round the year activity - with Thespo at Prithvi happening on the first Tuesday and Wednesday of every month

THESPO – How you can get involved:

* Stage a Play: Any play on any topic. Must be at least 1 hour long.
* Short performances in a non-regular space are held before every show. (Includes mime, short plays, poetry reading, monologues, etc.)
* Attend a Workshop: Workshops each month conducted by eminent theatre veterans on a variety of topics.
* Design A Poster: Poster designing competition, where participants design posters for the short listed plays, which will be exhibited at the festival.
* Write an Article: Submitting an article on theatre for the brochure.
* Join Team Thespo: Design posters, sets, interior décor, work in PR, marketing, backstage, lighting, interact with theatre professionals, organize performances and a whole lot more.

Thespo is on the lookout for 3 people, who would be part of the organising team.

For an overview of last years festival, watch the video here.

For further details: 2639 2688 /Join 'Thespo' group on Facebook/ thespo@gmail.com

Thespo at Prithvi - Introducing Dramabaazi!

Note on the Playshop:

Thespo is a youth theatre movement that organises workshops, performances and theatre festivals across India for participants under 25 years of age. Started in 1999, all Thespo activities are aimed at promoting and encouraging theatre amongst the youth and giving them a platform.
This year, as an addition to our regular activities, we have initiated the Dramabaazi programme that aims to combine the talent of young theatre-wallahs with the imagination of children to explore various aspects of theatre, discuss, debate and rehearse the text (playscript) and finally experience the thrill of performing to an audience in a professional theatre set up.

Structure of the playshop:
The Dramabaazi playshop is unique programme designed for participants in the age group of 10-14 years of age. The playshop will run from 30 April to 31 May. This will be followed by shows at Prithvi Theatre on the 1 and 2 of June 2010. The sessions will be held 4-6 days per week. Each session will be between 2-4 hours. The sessions will get more intensive closer to the days of performance. For the most part, the sessions will be held in Prabhadevi. A few sessions will be scheduled closer to Prithvi Theatre and in the theatre.

Design of the playshop:
Initial sessions will cover ice-breaker and warm up exercises followed by some interactive theatre games aimed at bringing the participants to work as a team. These exercises will mainly be led by Abhishek Saha and 3-4 Dramabaazi co-ordinators. Slowly the text (play script) will be introduced in the sessions as topics for improvisations, storytelling, song writing and general discussions. The latter half of the sessions will focus on rehearsing the play for the public performances and the playshop will culminate with shows on 1 & 2 of June 2010 at Prithvi Theatre. The performance will not only feature the children participants, but also some of the playshop co-ordinators (between 18-25 years) in the adult roles.
As the playshop is only for a short intense period and culminates in a full length theatrical production, it is crucial that participants attend all the sessions.

Fees for the playshop: Rs.5000 only.
Registration closes on 15th April 2010. The final list of selected participants will be announced on 20th April 2010.

REGISTRATION FORM

Name of child/participant:
Date of Birth:
School and Standard/Grade:
Name of Parent:
Contact Numbers:
Email:
Address:
Availability from 29 April to 3 June 2010:
Preferred time of day for workshop sessions (Morning/Afternoon/Evening):
Notes:

Point of View - Sneha Nair on Rage's 'One on One'

One on One is a glimpse of contemporary India through ten short plays. It is an example of how critiquing the state doesn’t always have to be an angry affair. A look at India through monologues and duologues could be tedious to sit through– one can’t help but expect a lot of tear jerker patriotic drama spiced generously with condemnation of the state machinery. One on One however steers clear from impassioned deliveries about the duties of a citizen/lawmaker towards his/her country and conveys itself in a far more engaging style.

The play begins with ‘The Bureaucrat’, a piece written by Anuvab Pal in which Anand Tiwari, Neil Bhoopalam and Bugs Bhargava play the different stages in the life of one bureaucrat. Directed by Kunaal Roy Kapoor, The Bureaucrat is a glimpse at the changing role of bureaucracy between the 50s to the present day. While the actors put up a decent performance, the play is largely driven by its farcical script. The Bureaucrat acts as a perfect ice-breaker that draws the audience in.

One on One glides next into the tale of a deceased bodyguard. Directed by Rajit Kapoor, Kachre Ki Hifaazad is performed by Yashpal Sharma who recounts his death in an unfortunate incident when fulfilling his duty as the Chief Minister’s bodyguard. Yashpal, who rises from under his shroud and narrates the incident in a tongue in cheek style, gives life to writer Ashok Mishra’s take on the divides in the Indian society. And yet I found myself drifting more than once. A few minutes into the piece, the script seemed to stretch further than it needed to, filling itself with the Chief Minister’s gimmicks, some of which were far too cliché.

As the evening continued the fare provided further diversified through a unique treatment to the same old matters of the state. The sarcastic humour continued with ‘Load Shedding’, written by lawyer-writer Farhad Sorabjee and directed by Nadir Khan. Load Shedding is a monologue by a lamp post on a momentous day in its life when it is to be named after ABC – the leader of the ruling party. My favourite piece of the evening, ‘Load Shedding’ builds on Anand’s ability to draw laughs from hackneyed politician bashing and cheeky lines and comes to an abrupt halt, questioning our priorities as a nation. Clearly, the concept of using humour to drive in a point works to the tee.

A rather interesting take on identity of a citizen is ‘The Interrogation’ written by Shiv Subrahmanyam. As an Indian who has lost all her identification papers, Anu Menon plays a distraught young widow caught within the system. Bugs Bhargava plays tormentor by alternating between the several officers and bureaucrats who question the citizen. There are glimpses of cynicism highlighted by silly questions the interrogators ask (‘No papers? Where were you when Indira Gandhi was shot?’). By recreating a dimly lit room, the play lets the audience comprehend the victim’s sense of bewilderment. However, it felt like director Rahul da Cunha was grappling with the content of the script as the situation moves from broken dreams, the victim’s past, the frivolity of police and policies without relating one incident to another. Inevitably, despite the promising start it is hard not to feel let down as the piece fast forwards through the script without reaching any particular conclusion.

One on One also has some interesting portrayals of people who constitute India. One of the most moving pieces in the play was Aabodana, written by Purva Naresh and directed by Akarsh Khurana. Anand Tiwari and Preetika Chawla play two migrants who present different opinions about the city. A heartwarming piece, Aabodana’s draw comes mainly from its Romantic dialogues. As they alternate between their stories, the characters seem to be two individuals who are building towards an encounter with each other. When the piece ends with a brief meeting between the two, it fades into its namesake song by Gulzar which, with its wistful lyrics and cheery melody reflects the tone of the piece itself. With a perfect combination of words, sound and staging, the director brings out the humane side of living within a metropolis.

Another aesthetically done piece is ‘Creado, Constance’. A story of a 64 year old widow who finds love by mere chance, this piece is adapted (and directed) by Arghya Lahiri from the play ‘Bombshells’ written by Australian playwright Joanna Murray-Smith. Shernaz Patel as Constance gives a glimpse into the life of the lonely widow who fall's in love with a much younger man. The piece gets its light heartedness because of Constance's acceptance of a chance occurrence in her otherwise mundane life. Its mellowness of the piece is enhanced by the use of light that encompasses Constance with a warm glow as she speaks about her own desires. It’s kind of sad though that everything to do with a woman feeling liberated has to be about sex – be it the well acclaimed Vagina Monologues or pieces of trashy chick lit. Really, is it only a man’s hard throbbing thingamajig that can save a woman from a wasted life?

Again as a widow coping with her loneliness, Shernaz plays a darker role in ‘White on White’. This one is a sharp u-turn from the mellow ‘Creado Constance’ with a stark monologue that explores the chemistry between two women in a household from the perspective of a bitter lonely widow. Written by Maia Katrak and directed by Pushan Kriplani, this one explores the widow’s need to attach herself to her son. Though Shernaz plays the widow as a resentful woman, the piece also manages to establish the widow’s loneliness.

Quite unlike the intense pieces is ‘Dear Richard’, adapted by Akarsh Khurana and Nadir Khan from a letter by Oliver Beale to Richard Branson. Rajit Kapoor plays the flier who is angered by the unpalatable food he is served during the course of a flight. Rajit’s sense of comic timing teamed with a picture by picture description of all the strange concoctions served during the flight adds some slapstick humour that left the audience in peals of laughter.

‘Bash’, an adaptation of Neil LaBute’s play by Rahul da Cunha (also the director) starts out with an introduction of a couple who seem like caricatures of themselves. Neil Bhoopalam and Preetika Chawla manage rather well to bring out the vacuousness of the couple even when they are setting the stage for something a little more intense. When Preetika first remarks on the gay couple they saw at Marine Drive, she creates a sense of foreboding. As the piece progresses though, her presence grows weak, to a point where you wonder if the director could have made it much stronger as a monologue. As Neil recalls the incident, he recreates a character who is still deeply charged with the incidents of the night even as the consequences of his action may still be sinking in. Based on an incident replete with anger and passion, 'Bash' is a thought provoking piece that sheds light on how unnecessary hate crimes can be.

The final story is ‘Instant Behosh’, about a Pakistani terrorist Karim Rehman Rasool Bin Laden played by Amit Mistry. Written and directed by Rahul da Cunha, this piece is replete with anti-Pakistan jokes like this one instance where he calls terrorism his country’s only esteemed profession. The audience seemed highly amused by these wisecracks that haven’t been heard in a long time anywhere other than on hate sites – perhaps a sign that we are all a little weary of our neighbours’ growing infiltration post 26/11. Amit manages to fit right into the role of the bumbling terrorist and his gimmics raise more than a few laughs. Politically incorrect comments aside, Rahul Da Cunha manages to capture his disgruntlement with reality shows and pampered. Other than that, the play brings together some divergent writers and directors whose styles add variety to the evening’s programme without making it seem schizoid.

While there are some pieces that could have fared better, as a play in general, One on One provides a tight package. The fact that the serious plays are often juxtaposed in between lighter ones makes sure that the evening won’t be a grueling one for theatre goers even though it is definitely a thought provoking one.

4 Corners - Avinash Kolhe on watching 'Chakravyuha' in Chennai

Chakravyuha in Chennai

A play by Ratan Thiyam [born 1948] on the sub-theme of Mahabharat is always something to look forward to. And ‘Chakravyuha’ is no exception. It is based on the Mahabharat war when Abhimanyu, son of Arjun and Subhadra, breaks into Chakravyuha set by Dronacharya. While in Chennai I got an opportunity to enjoy this remarkable play thanks to a young theatre group 'Masquerade Youth Theatre'

[MYT] led by young Dushantya Gunashekhar. They staged this difficult play with remarkable professional competence.

Thiyam’s play had won Fringe First award at the Commonwealth art festival in 1986. It is a seminal play that discusses the moral dilemma. In fact the entire story of Mahabharat is full of moral dilemmas and Chakravyuha is no exception. Thiyam’s play questions whether Abhimanyu was a scapegoat or martyr or a victim of his own foolhardiness. The Mahabharat war is in progress and it is the 13^th day of war. The Kauravas are suffering heavy losses everyday. Duryodhana taunts his army chief Dronacharya for secretly wishing the victory of Pandavas. Dronacharya decides to set up Chakravyuha which only Arjuna knows how to break in and break out. Since on that fateful day Arjuna is engaged in different theatre of war, Pandavas are left with no choice but to field young Abhimanyu. While in womb of his mother Abhimanyu has overheard the secret of breaking into Chakravuyha which Arjuna was narrating to his wife Subhadra. While Arjun was narrating this secret half way through Subhadra fell asleep and yet-to-be born Abhimanyu was left with incomplete secret. He knew how to break in but not how to break out.

The Pandava warriors like Yudhishtiar and Bhima convince Abhimanyu to lead the charge and they will save him and bring him back safely. Abhimanyu realizes that this is a matter of family honor and he has no alternative. He decides to take up the challenge. Though he successfully breaks into the Chakravuaha he cannot come out and is brutally killed by the Kauravas. The play ends with Abhimanyu’s death but does not discuss the repercussions of Abhimanyu’s death. Chakravyuha is a short 80 minutes play, which has two important monologues. One is by Shakuni, the scheming uncle of Kauravs and Duryodhan.

The MYT has produced a brilliant play under the able direction of Dushanta who also plays Sutradhar as well as Shakuni. This is the second production of MYT founded in 2009. Thiyam’s play was originally written in Manipuri and translated in English by Kavita Nagpal. What needs a special mention is the use of martial art scenes designed by Guru Rajkumar of National School of Drama. Similarly a special mention needs to be mentioned by Uchit Nair who plays Abhimanyu. This young boy shows remarkable maturity. The way he communicates boyish curiosity to know about the intricacies of Chakravyu while being in womb and his desperation when his mother fall asleep, is a treat to watch. Director Dushyant has used the space of theatre quite properly. Consequently the war scenes leave an impact behind. Thiyam’s play has monologue by Shakuni where he charges Krishna of dirty politics by letting a young Abhimanyu into Chakravuvya was certain to die. This leaves audience in meditative mood to reflect about the real intentions of Krishna. This is indeed good play. Since the group is young, one can expect better shows in future.

AK's Various Thoughts

March began with my second visit to the Mahindra Excellence in Theatre Awards in Delhi. Scheduling resulted in me reaching near the fag end, and as such I managed to catch a mere 20 minutes of a play from Assam called Guti Phulor Gamusa. I was instantly struck by a few things. All three Assamese plays I had ever seen had a few things in common:

1. The theme / dilemma of a barren married woman
2. A medicine woman prone to making lewd jokes
3. Great aesthetics (always including a tree on stage)
4. A constant use of fitting folk music
5. Tremendous amounts of energy

It seemed to me to be more than just a coincidence. Anyhow, there’s no real mystery I solved. Just an interesting observation I made. This particular production had a particularly fine actress playing the medicine woman. She was a bundle of energy, had an infectious laugh, great stage presence, and I later realized, was the director of the play. Her name, to the best of my memory, is Bidyawati Phukan. She is an NSD pass out and went on to share the award for Best Director. In other META news, actress extraordinaire Shernaz Patel won Best Actress for Blackbird, the play we went with.

Another play that was nominated there was White Lily ani Night Rider, a Marathi play written by and starring Rasika Joshi (seen often in Priyadarsan movies) and Milind Pathak. I missed it in Delhi but managed to catch it here at Dinanath Mangeshkar Natyagriha recently, in a packed house at 4pm on a weekday! It is an immensely enjoyable and brilliantly performed piece and I recommend it very strongly to anyone who is reading this. The language used is very easy to follow, for those who find that a deterrent. Please keep an ear to the ground for more shows. Rasika Joshi is delightful to watch on stage and creates a wonderful character. She mentioned that they are currently penning the Hindi version of the same so as to reach out to more audiences.

This month I was involved with two new productions. I acted in the first – a Hindustani comedy called Ishq Naam Ke Guzre The Ek Buzurgh, directed by Imran Rasheed, a talented actor and friend, who plays the title character. Designed as a commercial production, it premiered in big auditoriums with opulent sets, costumes and song and dance. It was my first experience of it’s kind, and I enjoyed it, especially having to wear a beard and pathanis on stage. The second – Classic Milds – was a collection of short plays that were, generally speaking, classics, that is, written between 1885 and 1985. Featuring pieces by Chekhov, Pinter, Tom Stoppard and Neil Simon, I directed a piece by Noel Coward. The production opened to packed houses at Prithvi and received mixed feedback, as is somewhat expected for this format. Audiences tend to leave with a couple of favourites, and these choices vary greatly. As such a consensus is seldom possible, but it makes for great discussion.

One of the highlights of my Ishq experience was the chance to share the stage with legendary actor Sanjay Dadhich. While we only had one shoulder-shaking dance together, I did notice that he was a little iffy with his lines. When I spoke to him about spending some more time with the script, he quickly replied – “Who cares about the script? Whatever I say on stage becomes the lines”. I couldn’t help thinking there was a valuable tip in there, somewhere.

Dolly Thakore's 'Life in the Theatre'

Last Month, I was invited by Oxford Book Store to read from the book 'VICTORIA AND ABDUL' by Shrabani Basu.

The book takes us into a world of love, companionship, untamed ambition, colonial grandeur, petty human emotions, and fall from grace that leaves a broken heart.

Shrabani weaves the last ten years of Queen Victoria and her relationship with Abdul Karim, her Indian Secretary (also called Munshi). The love the Queen bore Abdul caused great deal of fur-flying not only in the household, but also became a cesspit of gossip for the Court, and a source of irritation for the top brass of the British bureaucracy ruling India.

But the image that kept dancing before me was of Mahabanoo Mody Kotwal. Every time I saw or read the words Queen Victoria, Mahabanoo’s avatar as Queen Victoria kept jumping out at me from the pages of the novel.

Mahabanoo did it under a double bill called “Two Hot to Handle” about the relationship between an older woman and a young man in 2002.

The first piece was 'VICTORIA AND ABDUL' set between 1887-1909. And Mumbai saw its World Premiere in 2002 with Mahabanoo as Queen Victoria and Darshan Jariwalla as Abdul Karim.

And Mahabanoo “fits the bill as Queen Victoria to the T – she walks the walk, talks the talk”. It was one of her best performances – till she did Shirley Valentine!!!!

I was not aware at that time that this was a play written by my childhood friend Farroukh Dhondy. Subsequently I have been corresponding with him about the play he wrote in 1984.

He wrote 'VICTORIA AND ABDUL' for one of London’s best Shakespeare voices and actor Zia Mohyeddin as a one-man show to do on TV. It was a monologue at that time. And was performed on Channel 4 in UK.

For the non-cognescenti, Zia was in Mumbai recently for the Times of India Aman ki Asha celebration at the open air theatre next to Taj Landsend in Bandra -- where he recited Faiz Ahmed Faiz meticulously . He shared the evening with Amitabh Bachchan reciting his father Harvanshrai Bachchan’s famous Madhushala.

The historically based play depicts Queen Victoria and her relationship with her Indian teacher, her Munshi as she called him. Mahabanoo’s play starts years after Victoria’s death. The Munshi has been left to dwindle on his own, discarded by the Empire like a useless servant. Abdul, the Munshi, is burning some very important letters, papers and documents that he has collected while working for Victoria. As he does so, a life-size portrait of Victoria comes to life, and she begins to reminisce with Abdul about the years they spent together.

Farroukh Dhondy brought to life the story of upward mobility.

“All the incidents used in the play are real. My sources are Victoria’s biographies and the notes of Sir Henry Ponsonby and Harriet Phibbs, her Secretaries,” says Dhondy.

The play is about political intrigue, about the relationship between a queen and her servant, about England and India, and above all it is about a very unique friendship between a Queen and her most intriguing servant. Certainly a part of history not taught to us in our history lessons!

Abdul arrived in England as a ‘gift’ from Lady Dufferin to the Queen, but rose swiftly to have his say in State matters. Along with Buxsk, Abdul Karim had entered the Queen’s service three days after her Golden Jubilee in 1887. But while Buxsk remained at the rank of bearer, Abdul Karim became an influential and hated figure in the Queen’s household as an astounding choice for Royal company. The Queen wrote: “Am learning a few words of Hindustani to speak to my servants. It is of great interest to me, for both the language and the people”.

“Victoria and Abdul” was not staged in London or UK then. But they revived it at TARA ARTS this year – long before the book . Now Art Malik and one of three Star actresses want to do a big stage version.

There is a great deal of film interest too. And Farroukh Dhondy has been commissioned to write the film version on the lines of his play.

He also wants us to know that Mulkraj Anand’s daughter Sushila Anand wrote the proper historical book published by Duckworth in 1996.

Q's Countdown

Q's Countdown

10 of Bombay's Most Freelancing Actors

There was a time when actors worked religiously with particular groups. Either by choice or design, you could go to a play and expect the same faces in each production under the group banner. My how things have changed! Recently while trying schedule rehearsals for one of our shows, I felt like a air traffic controller - trying to not only juggle people's dates, but making sure it doesn't clash with other groups shows and rehearsals. It was easier to call up the directors and haggle with them for time than the actors. It got me thinking. Today a theatre actor is a creative mercenary, trying to ensure that s/he is always acting. What is really interesting and exciting is that actors are choosing to work with different groups and directors. In the absence of formalised drama schools, the Bombay theatre actor creates his or her own. Different style, different genres, different characters. While it might seem selfish, what the shared pool of actors has done is brings groups together to share. Not just actors but resources and skills. So here goes ten of the busiest mercenaries in the city:

1. The list has to be led by Shivani Tanksale - the Queen of the freelancers. Consistently for the last 3 years she has been involved in no less than 5 productions at one time. Let's look at her plate right now: For AKvarious she is in All About Women and Special Bond 2. For them she also directs and acts in Namak Mirch and Shehenshah of Azeemo. For QTP she is in The President is Coming and Some Girl(s). For Rangbaaz she just opened Ishq Naam Ke Guzre The Ek Buzurg. And as if that's not enough she is now part of Prime Time Theatre Co.'s soon to be opened Love on the Brink, directed by Lillette Dubey. Add to that productions with Mahabanoo Mody-Kotwal's Poorbox Theatre Company, Sundeep Sikcand, Ekjute and others, it is a wonder how she manages it all.
   
   
2. Close on Shivani's heels is Dilnaz Irani. Lots of work with us (Project S.t.r.i.p., President is Coming and Crab) and Poorbox (Vagina Monologues, Yoni Ki Kahani, Lift Karade), she is also working with Ansh in Korodon Mein Ek and numerous ACE Productions'. She is also a regular with Rehaan, although her theatrical journey started with RAGE's path-breaker I'm Not Bajirao.
   
   
3. Anand Tiwari, best known as the Jaago Re Campaign Guy has begun to develop a property normally reserved for directors or theatre groups. People come to watch him. Not the play. Not the director. But him. Of late he has become phenomenally busy bagging diverse roles with numerous groups. Another one from President is Coming, he is also in RAGE's One On One, is superb as the transvestite in AKvarious' All About My Mother and has received strong acclaim in Arpana's (or is it Zero Theatre's) Dreams of Taleem.
   
   
4. Namit Das is the next on the list, and is also from the President... gang. From his humble beginnings from St. Xavier's, he then thrived under Atul Kumar's physical style of performance at the Company Theatre. And now is in Cinematograph's Hamlet the Clown Prince, Akvarious' Shehenshah of Azeemo, and apparently helped produce Aranya's Park. Along the way he has worked also with Chandan Roy Sanyal's Proscenium Theatre,
   
   
5. Zafar Karachiwala has been the everyman of Bombay theatre for very long. He was pretty much the first real freelance actor. He rotates seamlessly between a few pet groups - Rage, Prime Time, ACE and QTP. At present he is Rahul da Cunha's Chaos Theory and Class of 84 and Lillete Dubey's Brief Candle.
   
   
6. Discovered by Atul Kumar in National College, Neil Bhoopalam has become a regular on the Bombay stage. His VJ status notwithstanding, people queue up to see his 'Thriller' dance in Hamlet and his multiple characters in Project S.t.r.i.p. Recently he has worked regularly with Rage as well in Me, Cash & Cruise and also One On One.
   
   
7. The one man repertory of Aranya, Kumud Mishra, has also spread his wings and begun to work with other directors and groups. For Aranya he is in Shakkar Ke Paanch Daane, Red Sparrow, Ilhaam and Peele Scooterwala Aadmi. For the rest he features in Cotton 56, Polyester 84 (Arpana) and the soon to be premiered Love On The Brink (Prime Time).
   
   
8. There was a time when Prithvi Theatre could easily be mistaken for Trishla Patel's own private performance space. There was not a week that went by that didn't feature her. She has regularly worked (and works) with Satyadev Dubey, Akvarious and Ranga.
   
   
9. An actor at large, Ratnabali Bhattacharjee, is a rare spirit. Although most of her work is with Akvarious, she also works with Makarand Deshpande's Ansh, Raell Padamsee's ACE and us at QTP.
   
   
10. Abhishek Saha may not be in the same league as those above. But he heads the next generation of freelancers. At present he is rehearsing for Working Title 2.0's new production, is acting in Proscenium's Chuggadham Symphonie, acting & directing in First Ray's Bali, directing a show for Theatre Professionals and another one for Thespo.
    

Up & Coming - Play Schedule

Thursday, 1^st April

Prithvi Theatre – 6 & 9pm : MANTO ISMAT HAZIR HAI

Presentations on stage, of Hindustani short stories, centring around the word obscene.

Friday, 2^nd April

Prithvi Theatre – 6 & 9pm : ISMAT AAPA KE NAAM 2

It encompasses three stories of Ismat Chugtai namely Amar Behl, Nahni Ki Naani And Do Haath.

Saturday, 3^rd April

NCPA Experimental – 7pm : R.K.LAXMAN’S COMMON MAN

In this humorous audio-visual presentation, Laxman’s Common Man narrates his story over the last 50 years offering his perspective on the changing socio-political scenario.

Prithvi Theatre – 6 & 9pm : ISMAT AAPA KE NAAM 2

With Seema Pahwa, Manoj Pahwa, Lovleen Mishra.

Directed by Naseeruddin Shah.

Sunday, 4^th April

NCPA Experimental – 7pm : R.K.LAXMAN’S COMMON MAN

A One Man Performance by Ajit Kelkar.

NCPA Tata Theatre – 6:30pm : AMAR FAL

The play takes the audience on this journey of thinker Bharthari’s life.
Directed by Manoj Shah

Prithvi Theatre – 6 & 9pm : WAITING FOR GODOT

With Naseeruddin Shah, Akash Khurana, Benjamin Gilani, Randip Hooda and Yanik Shetty Menon.

Tuesday, 6^th April

Prithvi Theatre – 9pm : KARODO MEIN EK

The play explores the strength of family relationships in the difficult times.

Wednesday, 7^th April

Prithvi Theatre – 6 & 9pm : KARODO MEIN EK

An Ansh Theatre Presentation.

Thursday, 8^th April

Prithvi Theatre – 9pm : SAA HI BESURA

Written and Directed by Makarand Deshpande.

Friday, 9^th April

Prithvi Theatre – 6 & 9pm : SAA HI BESURA

With Sudhir Paande, Heeba Shah, Vijay Maurya and D.Santosh

Saturday, 10^th April

Prithvi Theatre – 6 & 9pm : JOKE

What happens when one man decides to leave Gods behind and bring back fairies in his life?

NCPA Experimental – 7pm : LIFT KARA DE!

The play is set one night in an elevator stuck on the 23^rd floor of a high-rise building in this metropolis.

Sathaye College Auditorium – 7.30pm : MUNSHIJI KI GUDGUDIYAAN 2

A dramatised collection of short stories by Mumshi Premchand.

Sunday, 11^th April

Prithvi Theatre – 6 & 9pm : JOKE

With Makrand Deshpande, Abir Abrar, Aseem Hattangady, Kshitee Jog, Sanjay Dadhich and Nivedita Bhattacharya.

NCPA Experimental – 6:30pm : SHIRLEY VALENTINE

Shirley airs her views on men, marriage, children and self-discovery, in a distin

ctive style which is both entertaining and poignant.

NCPA Tata Theatre – 6:30pm : SAKHNA RE NAHIN TO SASU NAHIN

This is a story of all mothers who are possessive about their children.

Tuesday, 13^th April

Prithvi Theatre – 9pm : ONE ON ONE

A series of monologues / duologues about contemporary India.

Wednesday, 14^th April

Prithvi Theatre – 9pm : ONE ON ONE

A Rage Presentation.

Thursday, 15^th April

NCPA Audio-Visual Room – 6:30pm : MEETING WITH LORD YAMA

An English Play reading with Kitu Gidwani, Denzil Smith, Sanjeev Vatsa and Naved Aslam.

Prithvi Theatre – 9pm : ONE ON ONE

With Anand Tiwari, Bugs Bhargava Krishna, Neil Bhoopalam, Imran Adil, Yashpal Sharma, Preetika Chawla, Shernaz Patel, Rajit Kapur and Amit Mistry

Friday, 16^th April

Prithvi Theatre – 9pm : ONE ON ONE

Directors include Kunaal Roy Kapur, Rajit Kapur, Rahul Da Cunha, Akarsh Khurana, Pushan Kriplani, Arghya Lahiri and Nadir Khan.

Saturday, 17^th April

Prithvi Theatre – 11am : DAY I MET THE PRINCE

A fun-filled play with many songs, dance and…Magic!

NCPA Experimental – 7pm : CLASSIC MILDS

A collection of short plays written by famous playwrights in the hundred years between 1885 and 1985. The writers include Anton Chekhov, Noel Coward, Harold Pinter, Neil Simon and Tom Stoppard, among others.

Prithvi Theatre – 6 & 9pm : ONE ON ONE

A series of monologues / duologues about contemporary India.

Sunday, 18^th April

Prithvi Theatre – 11am : ONCE UPON A…..TIGER!!

The play takes you to the jungle in search of the missing tiger.

NCPA Experimental – 6:30pm : CLASSIC MILDS

With Adhir Bhat, Ratnabali Bhattacharjee, Prerna Chawla, Warren D'Sylva, Rahil Gilani, Adhaar Khurana, Siddharth Kumar, Hidaayat Sami, Himanshu Sitlani and Lucky Vakharia.

NCPA Tata Theatre – 6:30pm : LOVE ON THE BRINK

The story revolves around three people who meet unexpectedly one night at the edge of the sea front.

Directed by Lillette Dubey.

Prithvi Theatre – 6 & 9pm : ONE ON ONE

A Rage Presentation.

Tuesday, 20^th April

Prithvi Theatre – 9pm : DREAMS OF TALEEM

Written by Sachin Kundalkar. Directed by Sunil Shanbag.

Wednesday, 21^st April

Prithvi Theatre – 9pm : DREAMS OF TALEEM

A play about theatre, about love, passion, longing, acceptance, and rejection.

Tursday, 22^nd April

Prithvi Theatre – 9pm : MUNSHIJI KI GUDGUDIYAN 2

Another compilation of 4 plays based on humorous short stories written by Munshi Premchand.

Friday, 23^rd April

NCPA Experimental – 7pm : CELEBRATING PEARL

Celebrating Pearl is a tribute to the life of Pearl Padamsee and her theatre legacy.

With Alyque Padamsee, Bugs Bhargava Krishna, Cyrus Broacha, Delna Patel, Deven Khote, Farid Currim, Gerson Dacunha, Karla Singh, Kavita Sahni, Kunal Vijayakar, Merlyn D’souza, Ronnie Screwvala, Rooky Dadachandji, Sabira Merchant, Shariyar Atai, Soni Razdan and Vijay Crishna

Prithvi Theatre – 9pm : MUNSHIJI KI GUDGUDIYAN 2

An Ekjute Presentation.

Saturday, 24^th April

Prithvi Theatre – 6 & 9pm : KUCH BHI HO SAKTA HAI

A journey of a man who should have been a failure; one who manipulated his destiny and forced it to become a success.

Sunday, 25^th April

NCPA Experimental – 6:30pm : GOOD MORNING MISS KATYA
Written by Delna Mody. Directed by Sam Kerawalla.

Prithvi Theatre – 6 & 9pm : KUCH BHI HO SAKTA HAI

A One Man Performance by Anupam Kher.

Monday, 26^th April

18 Anukool – 7:30pm : GREAT TEXT READING

An informal reading of Aeschylus's 'The Suppliants'

Tuesday, 27^th April

Prithvi Theatre – 9pm : ILHAAM

A man…Standing on the edge…Eager to take that leap…into his childhood...

Yet a fear holds him back...the fear of losing his past & present.

Wednesday, 28^th April

Prithvi Theatre – 9pm : ILHAAM

Written and Directed by Manav Kaul.

Thursday, 29^th April

Prithvi Theatre – 9pm : RED SPARROW

An Aranya Presentation.

Friday, 30^th April

Prithvi Theatre – 7 & 9pm : RED SPARROW

With Sudhir Pandey, Kumud Mishra, Umesh Jagtap, Shubhrajyoti Barat and others.