The Script, Edition 9 - September 2011

September brings about a lot of festivties and marks the ending of the rainy season. But since when did that dither theatrewallah's from rehearsing!!! This month see's the return of some our favourite plays - Rage's 'One On One', Saba Azad's 'Lovepuke' and Ekjute's 'Pencil se Brush Tak'.

On the QTP Front too we're gearing up for a busy and exciting month. We open our comedy repretory and present shows of The President is Coming and Nostalgia Brand Chewing Gum at the Prithvi Theatre. Our last run was house full, so book your tickets now Now NOW!!! Also, the screening process for Thespo 13 is right round the corner and our monthly Great Text reading - this month we are going political with David Farr.

Our last month's quiz question was:
What was once used as a lighting source in theatres?

42% got the answer RIGHT!

The correct answer was 'Lime'. The term "limelight" comes from the lights used in theaters before the advent of electric lighting. Lime (calcium oxide), heated by torch flames, glowed white. Although am very keen to meet the 14% who answered with 'Fireflies'. Really?????

In this month's edition of 'The Script', Here's what you can look forward to this month:

Trivia Time: Political Theatre
Great Text: We're going Politically funny this month.

Nostalgia Brand Chewing Gum: We're back with more shows!!

The President is Coming: We're going Politically funny this month. Nos
Thespo at Prithvi: A round up of Ausgust and looking forward to October.
Thespo 13: Screening Process is round the corner...13 weeks to Thespo 13!!
Friends of Thespo: Become one now!
Point of View: Priti Bakalkar reviews 'Jis Lahore Nahin Dekhiya'
4 Corners: Toral Shah share about her experiences at the Singapore Arts Festival.
Dolly Thakore's 'Life in Theatre': Dolly Thakores shares her thoughts on 'Kennedy Bridge'
AK's Various Thoughts: Traveling with Theatre.

Q's Countdown: Q counts the 10 theatre festivals to look forward to.
Up & Coming: Complete Schedule of what to watch in September.
Theatre Training: Adhishakti Workshop and Devising Theatre Workshop by Abhishek Majumdar.
Theatre News: Tarun Tejpal Book Launch, Shoaib Akhtar Book Launch, Clown Festival, etc.
Curtain Call: Sir Peter Hall on the ideal stage manager.

Yours Sincerely,

On Behalf of Q Theatre Productions,

Himanshu.
Editor, The Script

> Trivia Time

Political Theatre

In the history of theatre, there is long tradition of performances addressing issues of current events and central to society itself, encouraging consciousness and social change.

The political satire performed by the comic poets at the theatres, had considerable influence on public opinion in the Athenian democracy.

Those earlier Western dramas, arising out of the polis, or democratic city-state of Greek society, were performed in amphitheatres, central arenas used for theatrical performances, religious ceremonies and political gatherings; these dramas had a ritualistic and social significance that enhanced the relevance of the political issues being examined.

Shakespeare is an author of political theatre according to some academic scholars, who observe that his history plays examine the machinations of personal drives and passions determining political activity and that many of the tragedies such as King Lear and Macbeth dramatize political leadership and complexity subterfuges of human beings driven by the lust for power; for example, they observe that class struggle in the Roman Republic is central to Coriolanus.

Historically in Soviet Russia, the term political theatre was sometimes referred to as agitprop theatre or simply agitprop, after the Soviet term agitprop.

In later centuries, political theatre has sometimes taken a different form. Sometimes associated with cabaret and folk theatre, it has offered itself as a theatre 'of, by, and for the people'.

In this guise, political theatre has developed within the civil societies under oppressive governments as a means of actual underground communication and the spreading of critical thought.

Often political theatre has been used to promote specific political theories or ideals, for example in the way agitprop theatre has been used to further Marxism and the development of communist sympathies.

Brecht's aesthetics have influenced political playwrights throughout the world, especially in India and Africa.

Augusto Boal developed the Brechtian form of Lehrstücke into his internationally-acclaimed Theatre of the Oppressed, with its now-widespread techniques of --'forum theatre' and 'invisible theatre'--to further social change.

Boal's work in this area has contributed to the emergence of the Theatre for Development movement across the world.

In the sixties playwrights like Peter Weiss adopted a more 'documentary' approach towards political theatre, following on from the example of Erwin Piscator in the twenties. Weiss wrote plays closely based on historical documents like the proceedings of the Auschwitz trial in Frankfurt.

A new form of political theatre emerged in the twentieth century with feminist authors like Elfriede Jelinek or Caryl Churchill, who often make use of the non-realistic techniques detailed above.

John McGrath, founder of the Scottish popular theatre company 7:84, argued that "the theatre can never 'cause' a social change. It can articulate pressure towards one, help people celebrate their strengths and maybe build their self-confidence… Above all, it can be the way people find their voice, their solidarity and their collective determination”.

The Iraq War is the focus of some recent British political drama; for example, Stuff Happens, by David Hare. David Edgar and Mark Ravenhill also satirize contemporary socio-political realities in their recent dramatic works.

> 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 August, we continued our series of comedy plays with Neil Simon's 'Chapter Two' -  An autobiographical play, about a writer whose wife has died and his matchmaking brother. The plot focuses on George Schneider, a recently widowed writer who is introduced to soap opera actress Jennie Malone by his press agent brother Leo and her best friend Faye. Jennie's unhappy marriage to a football player has dissolved after six years, and she's uncertain if she's ready to start dating yet. Neither is George, whose memories of his first wife threaten to interfere with any effort to embrace a new romance. 

In the month of September, we will be reading David Farr's 'The UN Inspector" - freely adapted from 'The Government Inspector' by Nikolai Gogol.

Spotted at the Marriott by government aides in search of a decent cappuccino, a British businessman nonentity is mistaken for the dreaded UN inspector. While he exploits the situation for all it’s worth, presidential panic ensues as ex-Soviet Ministers make farcical attempts to cover up the corruption that lies at the State’s core.


The nineteenth century Russian satire has been relocated to the present day and to some corrupt corner of what was the Soviet Union, where President Anton Skovsnik (played by the dependable Kenneth Cranham, a familiar face from a number of British gangster flicks) presides over a bunch of inept, self-serving ministers, a mixture of bumbling old men and steely relics of the country's communist past. On discovering that a UN inspector has covertly entered the country, they panic, fearing that their cushy existence may be threatened should their dubious activities be found out.

A riotous comedy based on Gogol’s masterpiece, The Government Inspector, David Farr’s play explores human greed and immorality in the highest places.


In 2005, playwright David Farr wrote and directed a "freely adapted" version for London's National Theatre called The UN Inspector, which transposed the action to a modern-day ex-Soviet republic

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So come on the 26th of September 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 Varrun on 26392688 or 9930666332.

> Nostalgia.... More shows!!

NOSTALGIA BRAND CHEWING GUM

Tuesday, 20th September and Wednesday, 21st September

at 7pm & 9:30pm at Prithvi Theatre

"...a must-watch"
"...stimulating..."
"...tastefully designed set."
"The humour is well-timed and the attempt to engage with the audience by weaving their responses into the performance is both bold and well executed. A witty take on desire, disappointment and envy, NBCG will keep you entertained."

- MumbaiTheatreGuide.com


Warm up those jaws! Not for chewing but for laughing because we are back with more shows of our brand new comedy!!!

If you thought Tariq Vasudeva was hilarious in Project S.t.r.i.p., then you ain't seen nothing yet.
He is back in this comedy about trying not to ‘break down’ after ‘breaking up’!

Directed by Vivek Madan, Tariq is joined on stage by Freisha B., new heart throb Karan Pandit and our very own Greek goddess Kallirroi Tziafetta.

The play is about Adil, Natasha, Bob and Kara. Sometime friend or lover or colleague or roommate. Not always mutually exclusive. When it all comes together one evening, mixed with copious amounts of memories - it tastes pretty funny!

The play opened in March at Prithvi and then had a successful tour of Bangalore. 

For tickets call Prithvi: 26149546 or or book online: www.bookmyshow.com
 

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

> The President is Coming

Thursday, 22nd September and Friday, 23rd September 

at 6:30 & 9:30pm at Prithvi Theatre

6 months after we made our comeback to the Prithvi, we are back once again!

Be there because......The President is Coming!.

When the play opened in 2007 the cast were relative unknown. Today they make up some of the finest young acting talent the country has to offer: Dilnaz Irani, Shivani Tanksale, Namit Das, Vivek Gombar, Ira Dubey, Anand Tiwari, Satchit Puranik, Ratnabali Bhattacharjee, and Anup Burte.
 
Written by Anuvab Pal. Directed by Kunaal Roy Kapur.

'In a dog-eat-dog world of young competitors, reality television and short-lived fame, this comedy explores a day in the life of 8 people will stop at nothing because 'THE PRESIDENT IS COMING'

“Very funny…had the audience rolling in the aisles”
“The cast is terrific…Enjoyable watch”
- Times of India

“One of the top 5 plays of 2007”- Hindustan Times

“Pal’s satire is refreshingly witty and sharp lends itself well to the stage with an intelligent mix of action, pace and dialogues.”
“Kunaal Roy Kapur’s treatment of the play is bright stylish and slick…..high dose of entertainment…succeeds in making the audience have a great time.”
“The effort is laudable for its subversion and its potential to spark very pertinent debates.” - Mumbai Mirror

“Playwright Anuvab Pal’s entertaining slapstick comedy draws the guffaws… ”
"One particularly hilarious contender is Bangalore based Ramesh S (brilliantly portrayed by Namit Das).”
"The plays facile humour is also laced with irony and wit – after a first half of jibes at the US, the jokes take on satirical overtones.”
- Hindustan Times

 

“An entertaining piece of work that was one of the better productions to emerge from January’s Writers’ Bloc festival”
“Pal’s inventiveness allows for buckets of dramatic potential that director Kunaal Roy Kapur exploits successfully.”
- Time Out

Thursday, 22nd September 

and 

Friday, 23rd September 

at 6:30 & 9:30pm
at Prithvi Theatre

For tickets call Prithvi: 26149546 or or book online: www.bookmyshow.com

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

> Thespo at Prithvi

Thespo at Prithvi was started in 2007 to provide a more regular showcasing of the best youth theatre talent in the country. Thus every first Tuesday and Wednesday each month, the next generation of theatre wallahs stride across the hallowed Prithvi stage.

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.Thespo at Prithvi in August, showcased Hara Masala's 'Naali Ke Kutte'. The play was part of the Thespo Fringe in 2010 and Split Second @ Prithvi. We would like to thank everyone who came for the show and gave great feedback and encouragement to the actors.

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 in August, showcased Hara Masala's 'Naali Ke Kutte'.The play was part of the Thespo Fringe in 2010 and Split Second @ Prithvi. We would like to thank everyone who came for the show and gave great feedback and encouragement to the actors.

We are on a break in September due to Prithvi Theatre renovations.

But we will be back in the month of October with:

Tuesday, 4th October
Two Spoons Presents 'Holi' - A group of college students gather at a hostel room to express disappointment over not getting a holiday for Holi. What begins as a fun-filled hoopla amongst friends slowly turns into a revolt and then into something outrageous.

Directed by Anuj Rawra.

Wednesday, 5th October
Le Chayim Theatre presents, 5th Anniversary shows of 'Confessions' - a black comedy which tells the tale of Katurian, a fiction writer living in a police state who is interrogated about the gruesome content of his short stories, and their similarities to a number of bizarre incidents occurring in his town.

Directed by Kashin Shetty

> Thespo 13

Thespo 13 - Screening Process is around the corner

It's finally here. India's largest youth theatre festival is back in it's 13th avatar. So while the festival is not till December, now is the time you can get involved in all the dramatic ways you've dreamed about. 

After successful Orientation Meetings in Bombay and Pune in July, we hit two more cities, Bangalore and Delhi in August. We were so successful that we managed to get 82 registrations for the full length plays!!!

Screening process begins soon. 

Thespo 13 is only 13 weeks away!!!

If you are under 25, interested in theatre and looking for an opportunity, Thespo 13 is here for you. Find out how you can get involved in acting, writing, directing, graphic design, film-making, and much more!

How you can STILL get involved:

* 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 festival magazine.
* 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 13 - Get Lucky!

For an overview of last year's festival, watch the video here.

For further details: 2639 2688 /Join 'Thespo' group on Facebook/ www.thespo.org

> Friends of Thespo

Become a Friend of Thespo TODAY!

Come be a part of a community of Thespo-lovers.

The purpose of Friends of Thespo is to build a network with Thespo lovers. Allow us to keep track of those that have moved on past the 25 year old barrier, and to keep a connection going. Allowing ex-Thespoans to ensure that the assembly line of theatre lovers continues.

The features of Friends of Thespo is relatively simple:

For a fee of a minimum of Rs. 2,000/- we will provide the following:

· A Free Friends of Thespo Tshirt

· Two Free Tickets to any performance during Thespo 13.

· Priority booking with regards to tickets for shows.

· A Free Thespo 13 Magazine.

All you need to do, is email us on fot@thespo.org saying that you are interested, and send us a cheque in the name of “Theatre Group – Play Thespo” and we will provide you with a FoT registration number, which you can quote when booking or collecting you tickets.

So don't delay...become a FOT today!

> Point of View

Jis Lahore Nahi Dekhya

All those who know me, know how long I have been planning to watch this play. Every time, I decided to watch it, something or the other prevented me from watching it. In fact, even on 14^th August, when I watched the show, when I reached Prithvi, the show was sold out. But I managed to get the tickets somehow. May be all those adversities/ obstacles were kind of hint of destiny to me, warning me that “Beware!”, “Danger!!” 

Jis Lahore.. has a very beautiful and simple story line. It’s about this old Hindu lady who stays back in Pakistan even after the partition in the hope that her lost son might come back to the “haveli” looking for her. She manages to escape the genocide of Hindus in Pakistan after the partition. The Pakistani Allotment committee, unknown to the fact that the house is occupied by this old lady allots the house to a Muslim family who had to migrate to Pakistan from Lucknow after partition. The story revolves around the relationship between the Muslim family and this old lady and their neighbourhood. The story has beautiful twists and turns about how the initial struggle of the family to drive the “Dadi” out of house turns into how to keep her safe and hold her back from leaving the house. Well, that is the storyline..

I am told that this play has been running for many years. I am not sure whether all the cast is the same till date. However, the show I saw I felt everyone was struggling to be in their character. Everything about the show was archaic, right from the storyline, the set, the actors and the acting. It felt as if I was watching one of the black and white movies of pre-independence era where actors had to be loud because the technique was underdeveloped to capture the subtlety.

The actors were over the top and it felt like they were competing with each other in who could be “the most melodramatic”. Their emotions were so superficial and fake. I did not feel the pain of the old lady in losing her son and having to deal with attempts of strangers to drive out of her own house. Neither did I feel the angst of the family for having to uproot themselves from the place they spent their entire life and to struggle to fit in new society and come to terms with the fact that they have to share their new residence with a person of different beliefs. Even the political and philosophical commentary on the then state of affairs by the poet and “maulvi” was hollow. I did not feel for the death of the old lady or murder of the maulvi by his “own” people. The whole thing was so verbose.

The only thing I liked about the play was the set which if I am not mistaken is designed by Dhanendra Kawde. There was a mishap during the show and thankfully no one was injured. A iron lamp-post which formed a part of the set in a far corner of the stage, somehow got loose and fell inside the stage (note my comment on everything about the show being archaic!). It fell on a wooden bench where the actors were sitting just a while ago. They were plain lucky to have survived that.

The experience of the evening was really excruciating for me, partly because of the fact that I had to sit absolutely squeezed between these healthy sardar families who had booked (read that overbooked) that particular show.  The only memorable thing in that show was the mishap and of course singing national anthem after the show on the eve of Independence day!

> 4 Corners

iRemember.

I want to remember. The city. The festival. The people. The feeling of sitting in the last few rows of an open air theatre in the heart of the city. The embarrassment of dancing as part of a performance. The joy of being at the Singapore Arts Festival and the disappointment of catching only 4 shows.

As you might have guessed the theme of the festival this year was I Want To Remember. To reconnect with memories, histories, places and people that we have forgotten in these fast paced times. The Singapore Arts Festival takes place over 3 weeks in May/June and this year’s edition had over 50 events featuring dance, music, theatre, film, art shows, workshops, master classes, etc.

The first performance I saw was a Japanese play curiously titled ‘When the Grey Taiwanese Cow Stretched’. The play is written and directed by Yukichi Matsumoto of the Osaka based theatre company Ishinha. The group is well known for its epic scale productions, unconventional choreography and impressive outdoor stages. The purpose built stage, comprising of loads of scaffolding and islands made of wooden planks, was set up in the Festival Village near the Marina Bay with the tall city sky scrapers as the backdrop. The 500+ audience was seated on more wooden planks and we were informed that the show would go ahead come rain or shine. When we got there the sun had just set and as dusk settled dark clouds threatened in the distance and throughout the performance lightning added to the drama on stage.

Also unique to their plays is the use of the Jan Jan Opera language, a kind of street rap music and the street lingo of their home town. Using this language, the play describes the dreams and setbacks of young people who embarked on the Sea Road from Japan to various islands in South East Asia and the impact of the Pacific War (1941-1945). Though talking of epic historical times, the large cast tells the story of individuals - of ex-soldiers and entrepreneurs and hardworking laborers. They grapple with questions of identity, with memories of their home states and their frustrations with the adopted countries. The play attempts to cover the entire twentieth century in the Pacific region, however it fails to give us a present day context. It felt like the stories of these migrants were isolated in time and place like the islands they inhabited.

Over two hours the cast captivated us with their symphony of movement and the chanting like dialogue. The narrative was slow and repetitive and that allowed us to follow the surtitles displayed on 2 screens on either side of the stage. Nevertheless, there were still moments when the length and pace of the 12 scenes over 2 hours seemed a bit tedious, especially since the seating was quite uncomfortable.

The next performance I really wanted to catch was The 1955 Baling Talks by the Malaysian group - Five Arts Centre. The company is a collective of art activists and practitioners that are known for their performances in alternative spaces and forms. It was completely sold out. So I shamelessly played the ‘theatre-wallah’ from Bombay card and managed in at the third bell!

The play itself is the transcripts of the talks held on 28 and 29 December 1955 in a simple school room in Baling. The revolutionary war, now known as the Malayan Emergency had been going on for seven years and it was a pivotal moment for Malayan-Malaysian-Singaporean history. The Malayan Chief Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman and the Chief Minister of Singapore David Marshall debated with Ching Peng of the Communist Party of Malaya over the terms and conditions under which the Communists could surrender and help bring an end to the Emergency. Notions of loyalty, patriotism, nationality, ideology and independence were hotly discussed, but the talks remained unsuccessful. The transcripts revealed how politicians, and experienced ones like the Tunku, shrewdly maneuver each other and how history comes to be made. No playwright had tweaked the dialogue or introduced fictitious characters for dramatic effect. We were witnessing the Baling talks exactly as they had played out over 5 decades ago.

Some may say that the production was very unimaginative in text. But it more than made up in the way it was designed and staged. The show was hosted at the School Of Arts Gallery. The play script was divided into 4 sessions – each with a separate set of reader-performers. In each session 2 members of the audience were invited to read some of the parts and the others were read by a range of actors, journalists, politicians, etc. The readings were complemented with projections of press clippings, graphics, photographs, etc as well as stage directions (as there was no real action taking place) on the back wall. The overall effect achieved was one of literally unrehearsed spontaneity. It was a reminder that those making history had also emerged from ordinary citizens like us.

But the most innovative idea of the production was the incorporation of Twitter in the performance. The Baling talks had taken place in a small school and outside the room hundreds had gathered to get a glimpse of what their future was going to be. As announcements would be made on the progress of the talks, those assembled would break out into their own comments and arguments. The directors of the show attempted to recreate the mood of that time in that art gallery using the tools available to us today. The 100+ audience were encouraged to use their various gadgets to tweet during the performance using #balingtalks. The production team themselves posted on twitter the landmark statements made by the various politicians and discussed the likely outcome of the talks. And this live twitter feed was projected on the back wall for all of us to follow as the talks unfolded! Very few of the audience members actually ended up contributing to the online conversation as we were all busy following the real debate, but reading the live feed definitely added to the sense of being present at a live historical event. Having the blue sparrow as another character in the play was ‘unusual’ to say the least, but I have a feeling that we may see more of that in the theatre.

The next show - The Inhabitants – was a leap from the virtual to the real world. Less of a show and more of an experiential evening. The producers were very clear with the audience instructions – only 33 members per show, wear comfortable shoes, do not carry bulky items and arrive half hour before the performance. We were given a meeting point and on arrival our belongings were taken away for safe keeping. The 70 minute promenade style performance was staged at the Drama Centre Black Box theatre by the Barcelona based theatre company – Teatro de los Sentidos – along with local Singapore actors.

The essential question that the group asks in this piece is – What is a city made of? They believe that it is not the landmarks but the invisible threads which connect the inhabitants with one another. And the audience is also made part of these unseen connections. Early in the production we meet the 3 mythological weavers – the Moirae (the Fates) who weave intricate designs with the threads of our destinies. In this production, the Fates are knitting with white wool and each of us is given a piece of string pulled out from their compositions and are asked to hold on to it. At the end of the performance we are led to the final section under the night sky where there is an elaborate installation in white wool with arches and tunnels and pillars. And we are then asked to add our individual pieces of string into this web. And with that one act we tied in our destiny with those of all the audience members who had come before us and those that would follow till the end of the festival. It was a collectively quiet moment as most of us there reflected on our place in the universe and how all our lives are interconnected.

And in between these two sessions we were coaxed into awakening all our senses. At no point in the evening were the audience allowed to sit back and be mere spectators. Throughout the production the lighting was dim, the volumes were low and we had to concentrate hard to follow the action. Actors led us from one episode to another and dared to question our choices. The highlight would have to be the section where 33 blindfolded actors approached us. They each blind folded one of us and demanded we surrender our trust into their hand as they led us around the room. My guide shared a fishing trip memory from her childhood. And then she left me. Another actor took my hand and told me another story. All the while, around us, we could smell spices being ground and fresh mint leaves being chopped. We were blind and wandering in a market with voices calling out to each other and actors holding our hands and talking to us. Asking us to remember those on the cusp of being forgotten. Reminding us that we are also forgotten memories for someone else. It was a truly surreal experience in 4D even though we were blindfolded and had no glasses on! Though I didn’t really get to rediscover the city of Singapore, we all did rediscover what it is to really see/smell/hear when we are not being assailed by loud noises and bright hoardings.

The last performance, I didn’t watch but I was a part of! A show called Internal by the Belgian company Ontroerend Goed. 5 actors, 5 audience members and a 5 minute speed date. I had a lovely time with Yuri as I sipped on shot of red wine in a plastic glass. This was followed by a quick session with the members of the ‘speed dating support group’. The 10 of us (by this point I had stopped differentiating between actors and spectators) sat in a circle with a dramatic top light. Our ‘dates’ then proceeded to take turns sharing their observations of our character traits, what motivates us, what turns us off. One of ‘us’ also got to share our view of what we thought of our date. Followed by some music, dancing, exchange of postal addresses, the 30 minute performance wrapped up with a hug, a kiss and a promise of a letter in the near future.

And that was my life and times at the Singapore Arts Festival 2011. With each new show I watched, the audience numbers shrank and I slowly moved from spectator to performer. It was unnerving for me, but at the same time I was getting the opportunity to watch shows from all over the world in one fine festival. Thank you Singapore!

P.S. A month after I returned to Bombay, I received a very sweet hand written letter from Yuri. The play continues.