QTP's The Script

The Script, Edition 2 - February 2012

2012-02-02T09:24:00.005+05:30

The temperatures are slowly moving upwards, but the theatre scene is always hot and high. This month see's many plays doing a season of sorts. Apart from Akvarious 18 shows of 'The Interview' in Bangalore, comes 8 days of 'Nothing Like Lear' at the Prithvi Theatre. Also this month is the annual Kala Ghoda Festival which will be happening from the 4th to 12th of February and the Ishara Puppet Theatre Festival at the NCPA from 14 -16 of February.

The QTP front things are a bit on the downlow before the hectic month of March where 3 of our plays will be playing at Prithvi. More details on those next month!! Also this month, Thespo at Prithvi presents AllmyTea and ClustalZ present 'Cock'. Great Text reading will be on the 27th fo February. We hope to see you at these events!!!

Also we continue our quiz section! Every month a new theatre question will be posted - it can be viewed on the right hand side under 'Up Coming QTP shows'. Don't cheat!!!
Last month's question was: Shri Satyadev Dubey shared the screen with Amitabh Bachchan. Which film was it?
80% voted for 'Deewar' - which is the Right answer! Well done!!!!

An overview of this month's edition of The Script:

Trivia Time: Puppet Theatre
Great Text: What are we going to read this month?
Thespo at Prithvi: Award Winning 'Cock' returns!
Point of View: Aishwarya Mahesh reviews Akvarious Productions newest play 'Spunk'
4 Corners: Ramu Ramnathan congratulates Satish Alekar.
Dolly Thakore's 'Life in Theatre': The 2012 NSD Festival.
Q's Countdown: Q Counts 10 shows from the UK he saw from September to November 2011.
Up & Coming: Complete Schedule of what to watch in February.
Theatre Training: Ekjute Workshop 2012.
Other Theatre News: Kala Ghoda Arts Festival and Ishara Puppet Festival
Curtain Call: Sir Ralph Richardson on the art of acting.

Yours Sincerely,
On Behalf of Q Theatre Productions,

Himanshu.
Editor, The Script

> Trivia Time

2012-02-01T02:47:00.006+05:30

Trivia Time

A puppet is an inanimate object or representational figure animated or manipulated by an entertainer, who is called a puppeteer. It is used in puppetry, a play or a presentation that is a very ancient form of theatre.

There are many different varieties of puppets, and they are made of a wide range of materials, depending on their form and intended use. They can be extremely complex or very simple in their construction. They may even be found objects.

Puppetry by its nature is a flexible and inventive medium, and many puppet companies work with combinations of puppet forms, and incorporate real objects into their performances. They might, for example, incorporate "performing objects" such as torn paper for snow, or a sign board with words as narrative devices within a production.

The following are, alphabetically, the basic and conventional forms of puppet:

Black light puppet - A form of puppetry where the puppets are operated on a stage lit only with ultraviolet lighting, which both hides the puppeteer and accentuates the colours of the puppet. The puppeteers perform dressed in black against a black background, with the background and costume normally made of black velvet.
Bunraku puppet – Bunraku puppets are a type of wood-carved puppet originally made to stand out through torch illumination. Developed in Japan over a thousand years ago and formalised and combined with shamisen music at the end of the 16th century, the puppeteers dress to remain neutral against a black background, although their presence as kind of 'shadow' figures adds a mysterious power to the puppet. Bunraku traditionally uses three puppeteers to operate a puppet that is 2/3 life size.

Carnival or body puppet - usually designed to be part of a large spectacle. These are often used in parades and demonstrations, and are at least the size of a human and often much larger. One or more performers are required to move the body and limbs.

Finger puppet - An extremely simple puppet variant which fits onto a single finger.

Sock Puppet - A puppet formed from a sock and operated by inserting ones hand inside the sock.

Hand or glove puppet - These are puppets controlled by one hand which occupies the interior of the puppet.

Light Curtain puppet presentations use specifically focused light to highlight small areas of a performance, allowing the puppet to be seen while the manipulators remain invisible. The puppets stand on a stage divided into an unlit background and a well-lit foreground, meeting to form a "curtain" of light. The puppeteer dresses in black and remains hidden in the unlit background of the stage while the puppet is held across the light curtain in the lit foreground of the stage.

Marionette or "string puppet" - These puppets are suspended and controlled by a number of strings, plus sometimes a central rod attached to a control bar held from above by the puppeteer.
Marotte - A simplified rod puppet that is just a head and/or body on a stick. In a marotte à main prenante, the puppeteer's other arm emerges from the body (which is just a cloth drape) to act as the puppet's arm.
Pull String Puppet - a puppet consisting of a cloth body where in the puppeteer puts his/her arm into a slot in the back and pulls rings on strings that do certain tasks such as waving or moving the mouth.
Push puppet - A push puppet consists of a segmented character on a base which is kept under tension until the button on the bottom is pressed. The puppet wiggles, slumps and then collapses, and is usually used as a novelty toy.
Push-in or Paper puppet, or Toy Theatre - A puppet cut out of paper and stuck onto card. It is fixed at its base to a stick and operated by pushing it in from the side of the puppet theatre. Sheets were produced for puppets and scenery from the 19th century for children's use.
Rod Puppet - A puppet constructed around a central rod secured to the head. A large glove covers the rod and is attached to the neck of the puppet. A rod puppet is controlled by the puppeteer moving the metal rods attached to the hands of the puppet and by turning the central rod secured to the head.

Shadow puppet - A cut-out figure held between a source of light and a translucent screen. Shadow puppets can form solid silhouettes or be decorated with various amounts of cut-out details. Colour can be introduced into the cut-out shapes to provide a different dimension and different effects can be achieved by moving the puppet (or light source) out of focus. Javanese shadow puppets (Wayang Kulit) are the classic example of this.
Supermarionation - A method invented by Gerry Anderson which assisted in his television series Thunderbirds in electronically moving the mouths of marionettes to allow for lip-synchronised speech. The marionettes were still controlled by human manipulators with strings.
Ticklebug - A ticklebug is a type of hand puppet created from a human hand to have four legs, where the puppet features are drawn on the hand itself.
Table Top Puppets - A puppet usually operated by rod or direct contact from behind, on a surface similar to a table top (hence the name). Shares many characteristics with Bunraku
.
Ventriloquist dummy - A puppet operated by a ventriloquist performer to focus the audience's attention from the performer's activities and heighten the illusions. They are called dummies because they do not speak on their own. The ventriloquist dummy is controlled by the one hand of the ventriloquist. Such acts aren't always performed with a traditional dummy, occasionally using other forms of puppetry.

Water Puppet - a Vietnamese puppet form, the "Múa rối nước". Múa rối nước literally means "puppets that dance on water", an ancient tradition that dates back to the tenth century. The puppets are built out of wood and the shows are performed in a waist-deep pool.

> Great Text Reading

2012-02-01T02:10:00.004+05:30

Great Text Reading - Come read a play with us!

In 2011, the theatre world lost some of its iconic playwrights. So over the next 3 months, beginning January, we will be reading some of the works of these legendary playwrights.

In the month of January, we read, Partap Sharma's controversial 'A Touch of Brightness' - Rukmini, a girl sold to a brothel in Mumbai and her relationship with Pidku, a street urchin, who tries desperately to rescue her from her life as a prostitute.

The reading was a mixed bag. Whereas many felt it was kind of cliched, but it was pointed out that the play was orignially written in 1965.

In the month of February, we will be reading Badal Sircar's 'Beyond the land of Hattamala' - "A play of two thieves in a land of no money. Kenappa and Becha jump into a river to escape being caught. They wash up on the shores of a land 'beyond', where buying and selling are alien concepts."

Badal Sarkar (15 July 1925–13 May 2011), also known as Badal Sircar, was an influential Indian dramatist and theatre director, most known for his anti-establishment plays during the Naxalite movement in the 1970s and taking theatre out of the proscenium and into public arena, when he founded his own theatre company, Shatabdi in 1976. He wrote more than fifty plays of which Ebong Indrajit, Basi Khabar, and Saari Raat are well known literary pieces, a pioneering figure in street theatre as well as in experimental and contemporary Bengali theatre with his egalitarian "Third Theatre", he prolifically wrote scripts for his Aanganmanch (courtyard stage) performances, and remains one of the most translated Indian playwrights.

He was awarded the Padma Shri in 1972, Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1968 and the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship- Ratna Sadsya, the highest honour in the performing arts by Govt. of India, in 1997.

Originally titled Hottomalar Oparey, Two Likeable thieves, Kena and Becha, jump into a river to escape being caught. They wash up on the shores of a Never-Never land where buying and selling are alien concepts. In this new land, everyone works together to produce what the entire community needs and wants and money does not exist. Being thieves, Kena and Becha do not understand the concept of "no-money" and hence several humorous misadventures follow as they make their journey through this land.

We will be reading it on the 27th of February 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.

> Thespo at Prithvi

2012-02-01T01:46:00.005+05:30

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 in January: In January, Zero Budget Theatre presented 'Ek Don Adhich' - which won Outstanding New Writing at Thespo 13 in 2011. The numbers watching the plays weren't great, but it compensated by the number of positive reviews and well wishes. We would like to thank everyone who came for the show!

Thespo at Prithvi in February

The New India Assurance Co. Ltd. Presents
AllMyTea-ClustalZ's award winning production 'COCK' (English).

Performed by Manish Gandhi, Prabal Panjabi, Asmita Bakshi, Rahul Chhabria.

Written by Mike Bartlett
Directed by Manish Gandhi

John, an apparently gay young man lives with M, a spiky stockbroker. While taking a break from their relationship, John has an encounter with W. This sparks unexpected sexual excitement, and suddenly his whole existence is in turmoil.
Winner of Outstanding Male Actor and Outstanding Female Actor at Thespo 13 in 2011.

To read the review of the play on Mumbai Theatre Guide, Click Here

Date: 7th February at 9:30pm and 8th February at 7 & 9:30pm

Tickets now Available. Call 26149546 or www.bookmyshow.com

> Point of View

2012-02-01T01:31:00.006+05:30

Spunk

It was perhaps the most hyped among the plays of Writers Bloc 3. A story about ‘magical’ semen by the legendary Siddharth Kumar (I had not seen The Interview but was already in awe of the man after watching his quasi stand-up act at Thespo) had my intrigue and expectation levels shooting through the roof. From the get-go, the play was extremely engaging. Brijesh, an average Joe trying to make it into Bollywood is unique in the sense that his semen produces only male offspring. With the help of his partner Rhea, who works at a fertility clinic, Brijesh earns a sizable side income by selling his semen illegally. The two go on about their business peacefully, till such time Brijsh meets Anjali. Having had multiple surgeries and being diagnosed as infertile, Anjali believes that Brijesh’s magical semen is the only thing that can get pregnant. This does not sit well with Rhea (a single mother) who needs the illegal money to support her daughter. Thus begins a tug of war for Brijesh and the consequences it has on all three lives forms the rest of the play.

While the central characters were all more or less stereotypical – struggling actor, struggling single mother, struggling couple desperate for a baby, sexy but slightly bimbette-ish single woman, guru/conman – the play was by no means run-of-the-mill. The character arcs of each of the leads was very well defined and through the course of the play, you endend up falling in love with them, pitying them, rebuking them, getting mad at them and finally forgiving them. While Brijesh morphed into a mean, scary, slimeball-esque person from the sweet innocuous pushover that he was, Rhea went from being slick-calling-the shots-in-control woman to a victim of circumstances. Lovely performances by both actors. And speaking of performances, Sumeet Vyas was a riot as the cigar-puffing, seemingly profound, new age conman/guruji. The meeting between Brijesh and Guruji was my favorite part in the play. One could really appreciate the writing in this piece – witty, intelligent and in-your-face – and the actors did full justice to it. Shruti Vyas as the guruji’s sidekick Annie was just adorable and Tahira Nath as the brash but wily housewife really stood out.

It was interesting to see the play touch upon various social issues such as the preference for male offspring, beating the system with bribery, empowering quack god-men, custody battles or wife-beating without getting preachy. The ending was as expected, after all there is only so long that you can go on without getting caught when so many people are involved. But the journey was fun, quirky and entertaining. The set was beautiful, the lights and music complementing it. I especially loved the opening of the play - it had almost the entire cast on stage and was a visual treat - very aesthetically done.

Spunk is a play about ordinary characters and how they behave under the influence of extraordinary semen, and full marks to the director for successfully taking a slice of life scenario to a whole new level. In all, an evening well spent.

> 4 Corners

2012-02-01T01:28:00.002+05:30

Satish Alekar: India's only truly global modern playwright

Abhinandan Alekar Sir for the Padma Shri.

Long over-due and should have been awarded in 1980.

In 1999, when the playwright Satish Alekar and his motley gang of Chandrakant Kale, Mohan Agashe, Ramesh Medhekar re-joined forces for a re-run of Begum Barve, no one knew quite what to expect. They weren't even sure themselves. The bored babus, Jawdekar and Bawdekar, and of course Begum Barve (the wannabe from the Sangeet Nataka era), had enjoyed huge success. The play was theatre history. In end-2008, once again, the play received tremendous adulation. It was a triumphant return. The Gang of Four were back!

Begum Barve proved, yet again, that its perhaps one of the best play-texts to emerge in this land. A close contender would be Mahanirvan, again by Alekar. Two of my favourite plays.

I say this, because Begum Barve and Mahavirvan are the two reasons I believed in theatre and even today when one is wracked with skepticism and existential malaise, the two plays remain a ray of hope, even as the rest of the edifice is withering away, hopelessly.

Begum Barve like Mahanirvan is a play in which is tinged by multiple uncertainties and a peculiar mixture of hope and melancholy and music. One of the strengths of Begum Barve's remarkable tale is that it acknowledges the myths (and Alekar's own mischievous myth-making) while trying doggedly to get to the facts of the Sangeet Nataka tradition which Alekar and Marathi theatre is so steeped in. Right from the start there is no nonsense about an era whose time has come and gone, even as the playwright cuts through the fabrication of a nostalgic realist fable of an unidentifiable beginning shrouded in mystery.

In a superb passage, Begum Barve (Chandrakant Kale) yearns to be the next Balgandharva. Begum Barve cherishes the shawl that the star once gave him, it is the only real remnant in a transitory world of fake opulence, applause, razzmatazz.

Alekar stays true to the flavour of Sangeet Nataka. But what could be yet another humdrum play about the goode olde days, is saved by Alekar's unusual documenting of an alternative version. This attention to the small details of Begum Barve's life makes the play a trifle daunting, but the rewards are great. Structured in many ways around places as well as periods, the audience and reader is treated not only to insightful reflection on the Sangeet Nataka, but also an insight into Pune subterranean life – including an exemplary account of the feudalism, and the rot in our society. Herein lie the energy and ambiguity that make Alekar's writing so compelling. The audience is being exhorted to an act of imagination, to abandon passivity and dare to invent a new kind of reality.

Alekar says: "I have always been asked about the element of the wonderful or the fantastic. We don’t ask such questions about Hindi films because it is taken for granted. Realistic plays don’t get asked about their realism. In fact, popular Hindi movies are reviewed by their fantastic content. Fantasy has been so well incorporated in this medium that the average audience readily expects it."

The playwright explains, "Begum Barve was the outcome of three different trajectories of memory. The first recollection was of a beggar couple – one of them extremely obedient and loyal to the other who suffered from a handicap. They stayed under the staircase of a chawl which my friend owned, where I used to go to study for my M Sc. The other memory was of an extremely feminine, male incense stick vendor. It seems he was an actor who had played secondary female parts in old plays. Anyway his mannerisms, his story and his whole persona was firmly impressed in my mind. The third recollection is of the time when my friends, both newly married had taken up their jobs in the same medical college where I worked. It so happened that another appointment was made for the same post and since there were only two vacancies, the service of one of my friends would be terminated. This was obviously a mistake and the problem was resolved in 48 hours, but the extreme tension my friends were subject to, to which I was a witness, made a deep impact on me. I visualised these three incidents and they lead me towards Begum Barve. The play grew in bits and pieces, and as things came to my mind I wrote them into the play."

The play ends in bitter-sweet equivocation. Shanta Gokhale's tries to triumph over the difficulties of translating the play into an alien language with its alien culture, English. Alekar's text has, as a rule, stood in defiance to translations. The Gujarati version Master Fulmani, lived to tell a tale but it did its things rather disappointingly by dumbifying the gloom and even the pathetic image of Begum Barve yearning for an adolescent virginal performance. The cathartic expletives became celebratory, the funereal became fun.

The stark, almost anti-theatre original production must be watched, and the play read, simply because of the dignity of the thing. And this is the residue at the core of Alekar's Begum Barve and Mahanirvan, a sense of the unswerving endurance and resilience of the ordinary Punekar as their social hopes repeatedly fall foul of grim reality.

Even as one re-reads these two plays on a day the Government rather belatedly bestows an honour, one thought resonates through the head: Alekar saab, we wait, humbly, for one more Begum Barve or Mahanirvan from the "retired teacher since January 31 of 2009".

(This piece is based on a review which appeared in Harmony magazine; coinciding with the staging of Begum Barve and Mahanirvan)

> Dolly Thakore's 'Life in the Theatre'

2012-02-01T01:17:00.002+05:30

NSD FESTIVAL

Nothing gives me greater pleasure than watching a play and being in a theatre. One of the advantages after years of theatre involvement is being invited to preview and view plays from different organizations – be it Street theatre at Mood Indigo or inter-college drama competitions, or sitting in judgement over a new crop of an institution which gave us the best of the best like Om Shivpuri, Naseeruddin Shah, Surekha Sikri, Uttara Borkar et al.

2012 started fantastically in ice-cold Delhi for me. But the hospitality of the National School of Drama extended to the invitees of the 14^th Theatre Utsav –Bharat Rang Mahotsav kick-started a fantastic year….five days of watching three full plays or snippets of four or five depending on individual stamina in nine venues within easy walking distance (for the young student community certainly) within the National School of Drama precincts in Mandi House made it my first experience of being at a Drama Festival akin to international film festivals. There were 98 performances from India and the world spread out over two weeks to choose from.

The Shree Ram Centre, Little Theatre Group, Kamani are regular theatre venues. But the Bahumukh, Sammukh, Abhimanch, Meghdoot 1, 2 &3, and the NSD Open air Abhikalp (not used this winter fest) were spaces within the campus used very imaginatively and inventively.

Juggling between travel and hospitality arrangements, plays and theatre and demanding last minute seats was managed with such proficiency and patience by Sameera Zaidi and Varghese -- after the powers-that-be Amal Allana and Anuradha Kapur had short listed some twenty theatre professionals from every region of India covering a varied range of languages and styles -- made us so comfortable and welcome.

I chose January 9 to 14 to spend in undisturbed theatre splendour which focussed on Rabindranath Tagore’s 150^th birth anniversary.

I drove straight from the airport to the Shree Ram Centre to catch Bhanu Bharti’s ‘Tamasha Na Hua’ from Jaipur. But sadly their lead actor fell ill and the first play I accidentally, but welcomingly, witnessed was a ritualistic colourful explosion VISARJAN based on Tagore’s short story directed by Sangeeta Sharma.

The SRC is a little run down now…bad sounds, echo, untidy lighting did not detract from the dramatic staging, rhythms, and uninhibited puppet-like body movement and acrobatic suppleness and contortions of the actors. And it made one realize the significance of mushrooming theatre training and workshops.

I then rushed to catch the NSD student production of Fakir Muhammad Katpudi’s ‘Jannat Mahal’ at the Bahumukh which had Thespo-winner Scherazad Kaikobad from Mumbai as an Urdu-sprouting Nawabi Begum. How interestingly Sahana P had used the courtyard space with seating-in-the-round creating some eight or ten acting areas and levels viewed though a net/gauze.

And the final call for the day was Grotowski’s ‘An Attempt to Retreat’ by the Chorea Theatre Association of Poland directed by Tomasz Rudowicz…with subtitles up in the sky! But fortunately minimal dialogue and the amazing physicality and energy and daring-do of the actors throwing themselves at each other kept one riveted…and the dinner at the Polish Ambassador’s sprawling bungalow, and the relaxed comfortable interaction with the actors and director established a common rapport about theatre handicaps -- except that their theatre is government subsidized.

The next day saw me at ‘Journey at Dakghar by Manish Mitra of the Kasba Arghya Group from Kolkatta with English subtitles which were placed at awkward angles from the stage. One either read the subtitles craning one’s neck especially if seated in the front rows – which I always prefer – or watching the actors. But sadly the production did not hold one’s attention and the dialogues were too lengthy in spite of being a familiar Tagore classic.

I chose Director-Actor Saurabh Shukla’s adaptation of Neil Simon’ Last of the Red Hot Lovers. ‘Red Hot’ was an out-and-out commercial offering replete with resplendent sets and costumes. And Saurabh, and one of the three lovers he transits thru – spirited Mona Wasu, who has changed allegiance to serials like most actors – are the new kids on the block to watch out-for for an evening of undiluted entertainment.

A terrific surprise was the collaboration between students of the University of Cape Town and the Fellowship students of NSD in ‘Inkosazana’ directed by Prof. Mfundo Tshazibane of Cape Town in Xhosa, Afrikaans, English and Hindi. It was interesting to see how differently the Bahumukh space had been used to convert it into an African locale…and the easy facility of our actors to glide in and out of dialects in a foreign legend/ folktale.

Mohan Rakesh’s Adhe Adhure directed by Lilette Dubey of Prime Time Theatre Company, Mumbai was a must see for me at the Kamani -- as I had missed it in Mumbai and Hyderabad. Mohan Agashe’s avtar’s into all the male characters will endure like his Nana Phadnavis in Jabbar Patel’s Ghashiram Kotwal.

But my memorable moment was meeting Mohan Rakesh’s widow -- the gentle warm attractive Anita Rakesh whose presence was acknowledged on stage.

The Peking Opera from the Central Academy of Drama, China was the other foreign offering I was able to catch…but left me uninspired.

My last day at the Festival had one superb offering from the Blank Verse Kolatta Group directed by Raja Bhattacharya.

Based on Badal Sircar’s Tringsho Shatabdi inspired by Ferdinand Gigon’s text of ‘E=mc2’ Formula for Death’ was the best thing for me at this festival…in spite of the bad subtitling at the SRC. But its production kept me spellbound throughout its two-hour-and-ten-minute Bengali staging. This group, its nuclear content and fallout, and Director Raja Bhattacharya’s intelligent visual representation needs to be seen by a wider audience in different cities. Thank you Raja!

I was able to catch friend Usha Ganguli’s colourful Rangkarmee production of Tagore’s ‘Chandalika’ in Hindi. It was Director-Actor Usha Ganguli’s stamina on stage and backstage orchestrating some 55 troupe members of varying ages that left one breathless. And the flower swings that suddenly descended from the stage rafters were a delightful surprise.

One evening, I was carried off to watch Clowns & Clouds, at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts – a coming together of Theatre and Circus by NSD students in an intensive workshop in Kerala -- designed and directed by Abhilash Pillai. Apart from the trapeze act, it was rather uninspiring.

A pity one could not stay on for the other performances…I believe the best was yet to come. Due to my own theatre commitment to our 10-year running of Vagina Monologues, I was sorry to miss the inaugural play Ratan Thiyam’s ‘King of the Dark Chamber”; and M K Raina’s Badshah Pathar – an adaptation of King Lear by the Kashmiri Bhagat Theatre due to heavy snowfall in Kashmir and their inability to reach Delhi during the scheduled time that I was there.

Returning home I dashed to Prithvi from the airport to catch up with Writers’ Bloc. And my run of interesting theatre continues with the Rahul daCunha, Rajat Kapoor, Shernaz Patel Writers’Bloc monopoly till the end of January.

> Q's Countdown

2012-02-01T00:55:00.012+05:30

10 Shows in the UK

My name is Quasar. And I am a theatre-holic.

Everywhere I travel I have dive into the nearest theatre to see what is on. It is on those occasions that one primarily gets to witness interesting work that ordinarily wouldn’t be on view at home. So here is a list of interesting and unique performance experiences from my last bit of travelling to England and Scotland from September to November 2011:

1. Localising Theatre:

The Royal Court in the UK have tried to ‘branch out’ from their Sloane Square home and take the plays of new writers to other parts of London as part of the Theatre Local programme. Last year our very own Anupama Chandrasekhar’s play “Disconnected” was also performed at a mall in Elephant & Castle. However when we say performed elsewhere, it means actually converting the acquired space wholly and fully into a venue capable of hosting the play in its ideal way. In Peckham, I witnessed Truth & Reconciliation, an interweaving of different stories from around the world where victim and wrong doer are confronting each other. Stories from Rwanda, South Africa, Bosnia, Ireland and Zimbabwe. Each story was powerful and the relationship of the characters was different. The Bosnian story was about two men who raped a woman. No in peace time, she is pregnant. One of them is asking the other to take the blame because the former has a wife and works for his father in law. The Irish story was the confrontations of two sets of parents of young boys who were part of an IRA attack, and were killed and how one set of parents blames the other for their child’s influence on their son. The South African story was about an old woman who refuses to sit in a courtroom till she finds out properly what happened to her abducted daughter. All very powerful. All very moving. All even more heightened because it wasn’t a formal theatre.

2. Folk Stories:
It really seemed that ‘short stories’ was the way to go. Tell Them I am Young and Beautiful was a collection of seven short folk stories from around the world. The best local example would be the work of Motley and Naseeruddin Shah. Normally in this format, it is not so much the stories that excite, but the manner in which they are told. Tell them.. was performed by an ensemble who became trees, benches, cattle and the various characters, all accompanied by a powerful percussionist. Although the Arcola Theatre in not a proscenium space, it still has a certain formality. Into this, the performers were able to bring the energy of a village square. Although immaculately rehearsed and skilfully performed, the play had the ease of an improvised story telling session. The evening ended up being a joyful celebration of life for both performer and audience.

3. A long running show is not necessarily a good show.
No trip to London in complete without one customary visit to the West End. Many have talked about The Lion King and while I enjoyed the animated film, I am not a ‘die hard’ fan. But the ‘theatreholic’ in me won the day, and since it was the only matinee I could attend I went. There is no question that Julie Taymor’s direction is genius. The misc-en-scene of the play is spectacular. Unfortunately the singing was pedestrian and the dancing was more ‘marking’. All in all quite a disappointment not helped by the fact that we could only afford the ‘nose bleeds’ – seats that are high up in the auditorium. Later when talking to some local theatre people, I discovered that long running shows often suffer this kind of dip, since the talented dancers and singers leave, and the new talented ones are not interested in being part of an ‘already running’ show. For a performers career it is better to be part of a ‘new and exciting’ show.

4. Busking Auditions
Just when we thought the day was a disaster, we wandered into Covent Garden and were drawn to the sound of classical music. In the piazza, a string-quartet was playing. Now when one thinks of classical music, ‘entertaining’ is not usually the word that comes to mind. But these guys managed to get a crowd of over a hundred. They made classical music cool, playing in jeans and t shirts. They had a little choreography. And were very good. Made lots of money, and sold tonnes of CDs (one to me) Apparently the Covent Garden street performers have to audition before they are granted a slot. Imagine that! To check out Mamushka at Covent Garden click on this link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gl6QSbADbQM&feature=related

5. Changing Climate
It is strange that I saw this play in Brighton. But it was so worth it. I was also introduced to the concept of subsidised tickets. While normal tickets were GBP 25, because the house was not selling, they did subsidised tickets an hour before show. I was lucky and got a seat about ten rows from the stage for only 10 pounds. Earthquakes in London was about climate change. Mike Bartlett's intricate plot followed three sisters and their estranged scientist father, who abandoned them as soon as their mother died, because they reminded him of her. While the first two acts were excellent, the last act had the feel of an M. Night Shyamalan short story like Lady in the Water. The outstanding concept from the play was - that each individual by their very presence is contributing to changing the climate; since the climate can support only one billion people, and there are actually six billion, at some point the planet will address the balance; not by degrees but by huge events like tsunamis and earthquakes.

6. You have to be a classic to appreciate a classic
On my other off night in Brighton, I wandered down once again to the Theatre Royal to catch Tartuffe, - a Moliere play about a scoundrel con man. Unlike Earthquakes, this show was full. Only problem was, it seemed like I was the only non-white haired person in the room. I actually began to feel quite self conscious. The text was in verse and although the show started on a relatively low note, it soon picked up. It was also fun to see colour blind casting, where a young Sri Lankan, Hanan, played the part of the young lady’s suitor. Unfortunately Tartuffe himself was weak. But the octogenarian audience enjoyed it immensely and there were many ovations.

7. Radio Play Sunday
I have worked on a couple of the BBC radio plays that have been recorded in India. However, the fact that people dedicate their Sunday afternoons to it was quite amazing. On the long drive from Brighton to Glasgow, we tuned into one of Raymond Chandler’s Marlow detective stories, where the great detective was played by Toby Stephens (of Mangal Pandey fame). For the two hours we were properly transported to another world. Our imagination doing the work of filling in the scenery. I was almost upset when it finished, particularly because we still had a four hour drive ahead of us. For Bombay’s traffic, maybe Radio Plays are the way to calm the road rage.

8. A Play, A Pint and A Pie

There is a typically Glasgow experience, where every lunch time, a venue called Oran Mor does lunch time theatre. What is unique about this, is that for the price of the theatre ticket, you get a pint and a pie free. The show I saw was Mcadam’s Torment about the discovery of a bandit who used to eat people. While the story is a British legend, I had never heard it so was quite taken by it. The play was a monologue and he was accompanied by a live violinist. The haunting underscoring was very effective. I expected to be one of fifty, but when I finally entered the room, I discovered almost 250 people who all seemed to have the same idea. Take a slightly extended lunch break and watch a play. How wonderful!

9. Kinetic Theatre:
Technically speaking this was not ‘theatre’. In Glasgow itself there is the Sharmanka Art Gallery. The permanent exhibit is ‘robotic’ sculptures created by Russian Eduard Bersudky. In 1996, he left Russia and brought his collection to the UK. The sculptures are moving art. Each moving machine is a separate exhibit. So to watch the entire hour long performance means moving from exhibit to exhibit. The sculptures each have biting comment, and are quite engrossing and enjoyable as you get lost in each element. A video of the sculptures can be viewed below.

10. Refugee Theatre
Sometimes you go and watch a piece of art for the nature of how it is made, not really for the quality of what it is. Ignite Theatre’s double bill was exactly that. The two plays were made up of young local Glaswegian performers and refugees from Africa. This was part of a project to assimilate both groups and thereby through comradeship at the young age benefit both groups. There were two performances, Does Anybody Get Me was about adjusting to everyday student life in Scotland. The hard hitting True Colours, about a group of Scottish students on a field trip to Africa and get taken hostage by militants. At a dinner with the director later, she told us a story of the day when the ‘prop guns’ arrived. The Scottish kids wanted to take pictures of each other holding the weapons because it was ‘cool’. The Rwandan and Somali kids, on the other hand, wanted nothing to do with the guns, because they have seen first-hand the destruction they cause.

And that’s the ten. There was also a terrible version of the remake of the Jack Lemon film Days of Wine and Roses, but that was neither special nor interesting.

> Up & Coming

2012-02-01T00:07:00.003+05:30

Schedule of Plays in February

> Theatre Training

2012-02-01T00:05:00.002+05:30

Ekjute’s Workshop ’12 - "KNOW THE ACTOR IN YOU"

Ekjute, the leading theatre group of Mumbai is conducting their annual workshop "KNOW THE ACTOR IN YOU"under the able guidance of Mrs. Nadira Zaheer Babbar from 4th Feb to 4th Mar 2012 between 6.00 pm to 9.00 pm at Raigad Mi litary School, 1st Floor, New Link Road, Opp. Evershine Towers, Oshiwara, Jogeshwari (W), Mumbai 400102.

Mrs. Nadira Zaheer Babbar will conduct the workshop alongwith qualified theatre colleagues.

Eminent theatre personalities such as Ashish Vidyarthi, Ananth Mahadevan, Anup Soni, Yashpal Sharma, Hanif Patni, Amod Bhatt and Juhi Babbar Soni from various disciplines will also be present to share their experiences and impart knowledge.

A rare opportunity to experience the fun, excitement, thrills of the profession called Drama.

During this workshop, participants will be given extensive training of theatre orientation, not only in acting but also various aspects of theatre such as Speech and diction, Voice modulation, Character Building, Dialogue Delivery, Body Movement, Improvisation, Emotional memory, Stagecraft, Costume Designing, Light effects, Rhythm, Dance & Music, Make-up, etc.

The workshop will help participants to get introduced to the fascinating world of theatre, the magic of live performance and also help to build confidence to face the world.

Enrollment starts between 2.00 pm to 8.00 pm at Gulmohar Fitness Centre, Next to Tiwari Sweets, Opp. Ecole Mondiale School, Tilak Garden, Juhu, Mumbai -400049.

For further details, call us at 9819997761 / 9819262187 / 9323738846
or mail us to at : ekjute@yahoo.com / ekjute@gmail.com

> Other Theatre News

2012-02-01T00:03:00.003+05:30

Kala Ghoda Arts Festival:
February 4th-12th will herald the vibrancy, drama, excitement and the beautiful colours of culture. Kala Ghoda Arts Festival invites you all to come and experience a kaleidoscope of music, dance, theatre, literature, street stalls, films, workshops for adults and children, visual arts and heritage walks. Nine joyful days to refresh your mind, inspire your senses and feel exhilarated!
This year open novel creative vistas for your children, enrich your mind with thoughts from literary greats and workshops, walk back in time to understand the heritage of Kala Ghoda, watch the drama play out in over 40 theatrical presentations, groove to Bollywood live at Asiatic steps, marvel at the richness of Indian classical and folk dance forms, shop till you drop at the stalls of Rampart Row and soak in the splendour of visual arts in their finest glory.

Come and be part of Mumbai's biggest festive extravaganza!

For full schedule, please visit: http://www.kalaghodaassociation.com/index.htm

Ishara International Puppet Theatre Festival:

Little Theatre

Tuesday, 14th to Thursday, 16th – 6.30 pm

The Ishara Puppet Theatre founded in 1986 by Dadi Pudumjee is one of India’s leading contemporary puppet theatres, committed to creating awareness, exposure and education about the multifaceted traditions and techniques of puppetry. The group has performed in many countries and organises the only annual international puppet festival in India with puppeteers from across the globe. The festival produced by Teamwork Productions, focuses on new contemporary work from India and abroad and is seen as an established platform to further multimedia arts in India

> Curtain Call

2012-02-01T00:01:00.004+05:30

"The art of acting consists in keeping people from coughing."

- Sir Ralph Richardson

The Script, Edition 1 - January 2012

2012-01-03T13:32:00.006+05:30

Hello one and all. We'd like to wish all 'The Script' reader a very happy new year!!!

The Christmas celebrations for Indian Theatre was a sombre affair. Theatre legend and icon Shri Satyadev Dubey passed away Christmas morning. He was 75 years old. This month's edition is dedicated in his honour.

But Dubeyji would always want the show to go on, this January brings a flury of new plays. Writers Bloc 3 brings 12 brand new productions that will be showcased at the Prithvi and NCPA beginning on the 9th of January. Check out the Facebook page by Clicking Here

Also check our Other Theatre News Section on still being a part of this edition of Writers Bloc and how you can be a part of the next edition.

On the QTP front, we're still taking stock of the phenomenal success of Thespo 13. Also the Great Text reading is back on the 30th of January.

Our last month's quiz question was: Who is the inspiration behind the Thespo Statuetter?
The correct answer is: Christopher Samuel.
A whopping 75% got it right!! Well done!!

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

Trivia Time : Shri Satyadev Dubey
Great Text: We're back!!! Come read a play with us.
Thespo 13: The results are in!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thespo at Prithvi: We return and we present the award winning 'Ek Don Adhich'
Point of View: Ishani Chatterji reviews Gillo's 'Kyu Kyu Ladki'.
4 Corners: Divyesh Vijayakar profiles Rage Theatre's 'Young Writers Workshop'.
Dolly Thakore's 'Life in Theatre': Dolly Thakores remembers Satyadev Dubey.
AK's Various Thoughts: The best plays of 2011.
Q's Countdown: Q shares 10 'Thespo 13' moments.
Up & Coming: Complete Schedule of what to watch in January.
Theatre Training: 5 Writers Bloc Workshop and Raell Padamsee's 'Weekend with the Wiz' wokshop.
Other Theatre News: META 2012 Registration, Writers Bloc Short Play Competition and Details on next edition of Writers Bloc.
Curtain Call: Tweets tributing Shri Satyadev Dubey.

Yours Sincerely,

On Behalf of Q Theatre Productions,

Himanshu.
Editor, The Script

> Theatre Trivia

2012-01-03T12:34:00.004+05:30

Theatre Trivia - Satyadev Dubey

Satyadev Dubey was born in Bilaspur district of the then Madhya Pradesh in 1936.

He moved to Mumbai with the aim of becoming a cricketer, but ended up joining the Theatre Unit, a theatre group run by Ebrahim Alkazi, which also ran a school for many budding artists.

Later when Alkazi left for Delhi to head the National School of Drama, he took over the Theatre Unit, and went on to produce many important plays in the Indian theatre.

He produced Girish Karnad's first play Yayati, and also his noted play Hayavadana, Badal Sarkar's Ebang Indrajit and Pagla Ghoda, Chandrashekhara Kambara’s Aur Tota Bola (Jokumaraswamy in original Kannada), Mohan Rakesh’s Aadhe Adhure, Vijay Tendulkar’s Khamosh! Adalat Jaari Hai, and A Raincoat For All Occasions and Jean Anouilh's Antigone in 2007.

He is credited with the discovery of Dharmavir Bharati’s Andha Yug, a play that was written for radio; Dubey saw its potential, sent it across to Ebrahim Alkazi at National School of Drama, and the rest is history, in modern Indian theatre. When staged in 1962, Andha Yug brought in a new paradigm in Indian theatre of the times.

He made two short films Aparichay ke Vindhachal (1965) and Tongue In Cheek (1968),and directed a Marathi feature film, Shantata! Court Chalu Aahe (1971).

He won the 1978 National Film Award for Best Screenplay for Shyam Benegal's Bhumika and 1980 Filmfare Best Dialogue Award for Junoon.

In 2011, he was honoured with the Padma Bhushan by the Government of India.

Satyadev Dubey passed away on 25th December 2011.

> Great Text Reading

2012-01-03T12:20:00.004+05:30

Great Text Reading - Come read a play with us!

In 2011, the theatre world lost some of its iconic playwrights. So over the next 3 months, we will be reading some of the works of these legendary playwrights.

In the month of January, we will be reading, Partap Sharma's controversial 'A Touch of Brightness' - Rukmini, a girl sold to a brothel in Mumbai and her relationship with Pidku, a street urchin, who tries desperately to rescue her from her life as a prostitute. Rukmini mesmerises Pidku with her visionary stories of the gods and her dreams of a married life as the wife of the blue god Krishna.. Even in a brothel, her extravagant optimism never ceases but only deepens.

Partap Sharma(12 December 1939 – 30 November 2011) was an Indian playwright, novelist, author of books for children, commentator, actor and documentary film-maker. Among his many acoldes include National Award for the lead in 'Phir Bhi' and the Hamid Sayani Trophy for a lifetime in excellence in film and radio. He was also awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award at Thespo 9 in 2007.

In 1965 the play was selected for the first Commonwealth Arts Festival from among 150 works of Commonwealth writers. It was also invited to tour four theatres in Britain for a commercial run. In September 1965 the production troupe, sponsored by the Indian National Theatre, was prohibited from proceeding to England. To prevent the troupe of actors from going abroad to present the work, fifteen passports were impounded overnight. The authorities gave no explanation for this, but the reason was obvious.The play was banned in Mumbai in 1966 on the grounds that it was set in the infamous redlight area of the city and therefore ‘dealt with subjects which should not be depicted on stage’. Seven years later, in 1972, the Mumbai High Court decreed that the censoring authority had ‘exceeded its jurisdiction’ and the ban was revoked. The play was produced by the Indian National Theatre in Mumbai in 1973.

We will be reading it on the 30th of January 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.

> Thespo 13

2012-01-03T02:07:00.005+05:30

THE RESULTS ARE IN!

Another year, another successful festival. Thespo 13 ended with with a wonderful platform performnce from Calcutta 'Kalakaar Ki Kahani' followed by the hilarious 'Janhit Mein Jaari'.

The Awards Nite began with the likes of Siddharth Kumar doing a stand up piece about why he 'wouldn't pick the plays. Jagdish and Arundhati Raja were then presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award with Mr. Raja giving a heart warming speech.

All this was followed by the business end of the Awards Nite with awards handed out in 7 categories and all plays winning atleast 1 award.

Awards were handed out in the 8 categories. Here is a quick round up of what happened:

Outstanding Supporting Male Actor - Siddharth Mahashabde from Patient and Ashish Nasalapure from 'Janhit Mein Jaari'
Outstanding Female Actor - Asmita Bakshi from Cock
Outstanding Male Actor - Manish Gandhi from Cock.
Outstanding New Script - Sunil Tambat and Aniket Patil for Ek Don Adhich.
Deryck Jeffereis Award for Outstanding Production Design - Patient
Outstanding Director - Suraj Parasnis for Patient
Sultan Padamsee Award for Outstanding Play - Patient

> Thespo at Prithvi

2012-01-02T19:00:00.004+05:30

Thespo at Prithvi - We're back!!!

Thespo at Prithvi in January

Prithvi opens the New Year with Thespo at Prithvi!

Zero Budget Productions presents EK DON ADHICH (Marathi).

Performed by Ninad Limaye, Sunil Tambat and others.
Written by Sunil Tambat and Aniket Patil
Directed by Aniket Patil

Kopar Khairne station, midnight, 2 men. A journey into the world of co-incidence, destiny & relativity.

A humorous and poignant look at the phenomenon of chance vs fate, and everything in between.

Winner of Outstanding New Writing Award at Thespo 13, December 2011.

Date: 3rd and 4th January 2012
Time: 9pm
Venue: Prithvi Theatre
Tickets now Available. Call 26149546 or www.bookmyshow.com

> Point of View

2012-01-02T18:27:00.003+05:30

Ishani Chatterji reviews Gillo's 'KYU KYU LADKI'

Christmas morning brought with it some presents and a great play. A great CHILDREN’S play I may add…

The recipe to an adorable children’s play would be: questions, colorful costumes, music, some more questions, dance and more and more questions…

Gillo Gilheri’s Kyun Kyun Ladki, directed by Shaili Sathyu has all of these ingredients in it, hence making it an adorable play and a must watch for all age groups, not just children. The play is based on Mahasweta Devi’s Why Why Girl. The play was first performed at Summertime at Prithvi in 2011.

As the audience began to pour in, I noticed how there were fewer children than adults. As the lights began to dim, signaling that the play is about to start, I could feel the excitement as though I were a child myself.

The play has 3 sets of stories going on simultaneously. The story of innocent Aamna who has lost her mother and wishes to go up in to the moon to be with her. Amana’s innocent questions are almost heart breaking and so are her actions as she decides to pack up and leave to go and live with God. Besides Amana, there is young Gaurav who wishes to stay back in the village with his unwell Nana and friends. But the main story is that of the “kyun kyun ladki” Moyna, a tribal girl, who faces daily hardships but never looses her joi de vivre attitude. Her life is very different from that of the city bred children. She doesn’t have the time to go to school, instead works hard in the fields to support her family. Moyna questions everything, from why she needs to go far to fetch water to why does she need to eat leftover food but seldom gets an answer for anything.
Moyna’s life is not what a young girls should be but nevertheless one cannot help but love her assertiveness and enthusiasm. Her questions would make the audience wonder about the zillion Moynas across the country that live with such difficulties. But Moyna’s questions find an answer in the village schoolteacher who notices her thirst for knowledge and pushes her towards books and education.

The director, Shaili Sathyu has filled the play with dance and various movements. The actors play multiple roles, not just themselves but if the need be, they change into objects and animals as well. The set used is not very elaborate. It consists of wire in the shape of animals that is suspended from above. Lights were used beautifully to show the darks of the night or shutting of doors. What I enjoyed the most in the play was that at no given point of time, the actors were out of character. Moyna remained the wild tribal girl she is throughout the play. But above all, the laughter of the children around me was a good enough sign that they enjoyed it as well. Overall, the play does a good job of providing education along with enjoyment. It has something to offer to everyone. And the play left me with wanting to be a child again and explore the magical world of questions.

> 4 Corners

2012-01-02T18:10:00.003+05:30

Divyesh Vijayakar profiles Rage's 'Young Writers Workshop' held in November at Manori

WRITING FOR A CAUSE!

Some people think writers are a solitary lot. But I know I’ve always been a different sort. I need people around for me to write. I need to bounce ideas off people to help me in the process. No wonder I work in advertising (apart from working in Theatre…as an actor, mind you!)

Having never written a play before, I decided to attend the YOUNG WRITERS WORKSHOP which was brought to Mumbai by RAGE PRODUCTIONS, along with TINDERBOX CONSULTANTS, WALES and MERCURY COLCHESTER THEATRE on the 22^nd of November. Now the Rajit Kapur-Rahul Da Cunha- Shernaz Patel-led Rage Productions has been the torchbearer for new Indian writing for the stage for over a decade, especially with their highly successful WRITERS BLOC festival which is entering its third year this January. They along with Tinderbox decided to do a new workshop for young writers, as a precursor to their production of Farhad Sorabjee’s HARD PLACES, which is to be performed in mid-2012.

Held in a quaint shack in Manori, in North Mumbai, I found myself sitting with 14-odd young writers, from different backgrounds and schools of thought. The workshop was led by Rebecca Gould (Lead Practitioner, Education, Royal Shakespeare Company), Chris White (script adviser, Hampstead Theatre) and Gari Jones (Educationist, Mercury Theatre, Colchester), and these three maestros gave us a taste of what we as young writers can do when we set out to write plays. Rajit Kapur and Shernaz Patel were the facilitators, making sure the workshop goes off ok, and we’re fed well.

We started with some theatre exercises to warm up the mind and body (yes!), then went on to work on Shakespeare’s KING LEAR! The play about how an old king gives into the false praise given by his elder daughters, and shuns the true love shown by his youngest, which ends up in his downfall, was divided into 10 bits, and each group was asked to perform these bits, with NO WORDS! Then as the process continued, we added lines to the performances that we saw, and thus realized how words can suddenly bring the scene alive, can be used to enhance it, and can also carry the story forward, into the audience’s minds.

After breaking for lunch, we came to the six-word story format, popularized by Hemingway’s classic: “For Sale, Baby Shoes, Never worn.” There was a fun exercise where we were all asked to come up with six-word stories, which proved hilarious results…I felt like an ad man again, since this is what I’m generally asked to do…for a living!

Rebecca introduced us to different dramatic structures and how practitioners have imbibed it, modified it, and made their own headway into what defines a ‘play’. Chris told us about how Farhad Sorabjee’s piece, Hard Places has a lot of differing themes, which are relevant not just in the play’s universe, but in terms of everyday life. Gari being an actor as well as a writer, harped on themes such as what defines the ‘line’ for an actor, about how an actor can make the lines his own, by understanding the theme and nature of the text, and how important that is, for a performance to be a whole!

Next, writers were broken up into pairs, and were asked to share a personal story, something that might be embarrassing or scary but will always remain memorable. Now once you’ve heard your partner’s story, you’ve got to retell the same story, referring to the partner in third person. Also, a twist was added to this exercise, by asking the participants to add a NEW character in the story, and tell the same story through this point of view. The idea here is to show how a different viewpoint can bring the same story in front of an audience with a different dynamic altogether.

And with these viewpoints in mind, we were finally entrusted our assignments. Since this workshop is an ongoing process, we writers are supposed to come up with stories based around the theme of the main play, which is HARD PLACES. To summarize, it is the story of a border post between two countries, and the story of a mother, trying to reunite with her children, on two sides of the border. Thus we’ve been told to delve into our selves, and come up with a short 12-min piece, related to the theme of BORDERS in our lives- could be physical, metaphysical, emotional, any ones! Some of these pieces will be selected and will be performed as platforms, before the main production of Hard Places. A unique concept is that writers from England who’ve already been part of a similar Young Writers Workshop will get to bring their pieces to India as well, thus completing the cross-cultural exchange.

Seemed like a tough cookie for someone like me, who’s tried, and failed miserably at attempts to write a play. But the workshop really helped me understand what playwriting is about, how I need to start looking at a text, what is drama, what is real, how sometimes lines and dialogues flow from characters rather than the writers’ head. And yes as I write this, my mind is racing, and on a separate word doc, the story of the play I’m trying to come up with, is being written. Once that’s done, I’ll send it in, and Rage and Tinderbox will be able to tell me if I’m on the right track, yet.

Rage brings to you Writers Bloc 3- this January-- 12 Original plays that have been through the Writers Bloc Workshop process will be staged first at Prithvi, then at the NCPA,! So as I set out to write my first play, I’d love every one of you to come and be a part of the new plays that young writers from all over the country are bringing to the Indian Stage! Let’s celebrate New Indian Playwriting in 2012!!!

> Dolly Thakore's 'Life in the Theatre'

2012-01-02T18:08:00.002+05:30

SORRY, SATYADEV!

2011 draws to a close today. And in this year I started my column with a farewell to Zul Vellani….and I end it with a farewell to Satyadev Dubey.

A lot has been written about Satyadev as I called him. My association goes back to 1969-70. At that time he hated English Theatre. I remember his fiery outbursts. And I constantly asked him to cast me in his productions. But he never did. And the last time I made the request to him was four months ago –some two weeks before he collapsed -- at the Prithvi Café where he held forth surrounded by young theatre passionatas. It was almost a running gag between us!

If I recall accurately there was not a play of his that I missed….first as critic and later purely as his friend. I drove to what was then remote corners of the city to see his work…Matunga, Vile Parle, in spaces that he discovered for his brand of plays.

I even sat in on a couple of his workshops to see how he puts his actors through their paces to be so acquainted with the text that they are able to recite whole paragraphs backwards.

Every time I visited Prithvi, no matter who I was with I always made a beeline for wherever he sat or stood…inviting him to come and see me on stage in Vagina Monologues. But for ten years I failed. He didn’t even see me on stage during my Mira, Birthday Party, Wings, Gaslight, Rashomon, Streetcar Named Desire, Death of a Salesman days – not even when I did a Hindi play with Dinesh Thakur in Tum Kya Jaano Preet.

But he remained my friend. And my carpet which has hosted many young actors of today has had the privilege of offering its hospitality to Satyadev!

Each time I met him he would repeat: “You deserve a medal coming all this way to Prithvi. All my old friends have dropped out.” But my loyalty and affections endured.

I visited him at least once through his illnesses. And each time he returned to his favourite haunt at the Prithvi to boast about his teeth or hair. And he did look young.

When I went to see his last play Khuda ke Liye Mat Dekho…he said “Tum nahin mano gi.”

Then his usual refrain became to get him sponsors to complete his film Ram Naam Satya Hai… he needed help with sound, mixing etc. …But I never acquiesed to his last request…Sorry Satyadev.

> AK's Various Thoughts

2012-01-02T18:06:00.005+05:30

You may not have noticed, but I didn’t manage to send in my article for the last two issues of The Script. The first time, I just wanted to see if anyone cared. And the second time I was just upset with the realization that nobody actually did. I could have sulked right into 2012, but I wasn’t missing the year-end theater round-up article for anything. Especially now that so many more people were enthusiastically sharing their top votes.

So yet again, the question was posed to hell of a lot of people. A little over 150 replied, which while being a decent sample, is less than last year’s number. Last year’s poll was pretty representative, considering 3 of the top 10 plays went on to do pretty well, and even be selected for META from where they did not return empty handed. Lets see how this sample fares.

One interesting thing is that a lot of people landed up voting for plays that they saw this year, which didn’t necessarily open this year. But that’s fair, and thus this would be a representation of the most popular of the plays that ran in 2011. In fact 2 plays from last year’s list (Bade Miyan Deewane and One on One) got some votes this year as well, but not enough to make it into the top 10. However The Interview got a lot of votes this year as well and thus does move up from the top ten to the top five. Considering that 30 of its 35 shows happened in 2011, I suppose it makes sense.

Anyhow, enough with the explanations and disclaimers. Now for the results of the poll. Here are the 5 plays with the most votes, in alphabetical order.

Hayavadana

Come December, and The Industrial Theatre Company had a phoenix like re-emergence with their third (or is it fourth) take on Girish Karnad’s play about head swapping and other relationship issues. Arghya Lahiri and Pushan Kripalani took on a new space (Cama Hall), a fresh bunch of committed actors, interesting design elements, and a spate of consecutive weekends (good decisions, all) and regaled audiences as the year closed.

The Interview

Siddharth Kumar’s corporate satire exploded onto the festival circuit and found much favour, not least from the META jury, where it bagged 4 coveted awards including Best Play. The play traveled extensively, finding new audiences across the country (and in the Gulf) that connected with the journey taken by the characters through a day in the life of the corporate maze that represents urban India rather well, tongue firmly in cheek.

Me Grandad ‘ad an Elephant

Here’s another revival that features an animal. And inventive direction courtesy Digvijay Savant. And some delightful music. I am personally pleased as punch that it had a second coming. This production has an inherent charm that makes you happy just to be in the theatre with its Kerala-ite characters and kooky chorus. A few cast changes worked very well for the play and here’s hoping this manages a lot more shows.

Stories in a Song

Unanimously loved, Sunil Shanbag’s musical production has won over the most cynical viewers. I am yet to hear one negative thing about this piece (which I, shamefully, have not yet seen). With Shubha Mudgal collaborating, this play is not only entertaining and musically sound, it is also an important theatre event. With a cast to put Indian Idol to shame, and a master craftsman at the helm, this one was a winner on paper itself. Now its popularity has led to a sequel that opens in February.

Super 8

The dearth of venues in Mumbai (for various reasons) led to Akvarious Productions setting up shop at The Comedy Store. While existing comedies worked well, the space and audience demanded a customized production. And Super 8 was born. A collection of contemporary comedies by Indian and foreign writers, this politically incorrect, potentially offensive medley of funny sketches was an instant success and a great launch pad for some new writing.

As is usually the case, here are the next 5. The ones that fell short of the highest bracket but got enough votes to justify a worthy mention:

By George

This has been said enough times, but I’ll say it again: Shah does Shaw. And who better? Three short pieces by George Bernard, celebrating his language and wit. A lovely design (that little shop is to die for), some super strong performances, and a text that can do no wrong.

Kishen v/s Kanhaiya

A solid entertainer, featuring Paresh Rawal, about a man fighting for his insurance only to find that he will have to fight God. Loosely based on the Australian film, “The Man Who Sued God”, this is a wonderful adaptation, perfectly remodeled for Indian audiences.

Peter Pan

An ambitious stage version of J M Barrie’s classic, this was a runaway success, helped along by some simple but effective stagecraft, a rope-climbing bundle of energy as the boy who never grew up, and a hilarious new rendition of Hook. Oh, and a crocodile. Kids of all ages lapped it up.

Rafta Rafta

While this may look like some serious plugging on my part, the fact is that Akvarious seems to have had a good year. This retelling of Ayub Khan-Din’s culture-curry comedy also scored. A strong uninhibited ensemble, and the inherent humour in a story about Indians abroad made this a guilty pleasure of sorts.

The Water Station

The newest offering from the creators of The Elephant Project, this play is unique, since it is a two hour long, wordless performance. Pushing the envelope, and Mumbai audiences, this emerged a winner nonetheless, with people appreciating its form, its visual style, and in some cases, its therapeutic silence.

So that’s what the word on the aisles is. Like last year, a few plays that either opened late or didn’t have too many shows also got some serious love. I like to call this the “bubbling under” ones. Chances are that they will make quite a mark in 2012. The Centrestage festival at NCPA threw up a couple of winners again – Hassan Abdulrazzak’s moving tale of friendship, Baghdad Wedding, and Vikram Kapadia’s set of monologues for Mumbaikars, Bombay Talkies. A regular feature on such lists, Manav Kaul was busy making a film this year but just before the year was out, the opening shows of his newest play, Laal Pencil, created waves. Certainly one to watch out for.

That’s all folks. January sees 12 new plays by Indian writers showcased at Writers Bloc (including Siddharth Kumar and his second play, Spunk). Here’s a tip from an inside man. I’ve read / heard some of these texts, and they’re genuinely quite wonderful. Book your tickets now is what I’d say.

> Q's Countdown

2012-01-02T18:02:00.007+05:30

10 ‘Moments’ From Thespo 13

I am still in my Thespo hangover. So this month’s countdown is a review of ten things that I really enjoyed at Thespo 13.

1. Changing Perspective:
I have been a fan of Robert Lepage’s work for many years. One of the things that he specialises in is the changing of perspective of the action. Suddenly providing a top view of a piece of action for example. Simon McBurney touched on it fleetingly in Disappearing Number, but it was a ‘blink and you miss it’ moment. At Thespo, BMCC from Pune managed to create a top view of a hospital bed with such finesse and power it was outstanding. What’s more, they didn’t hurry through the moment. The sequence took it’s time. A brilliant bit of stage craft. This is why Thespo is so important, because a 20 year old director can think out of the box and wow an audience by stuff they haven’t seen before.

2. Making Love with your clothes on:
The play was called ‘Cock’. The content was incredibly sexual. Yet there was no vulgarity. There was a ‘sex scene’ between a boy and a girl, except they never stripped. They never even touched. Yet the scene was erotic and powerful. The actors words created images in our heads that we weren’t seeing. The image in contrast showed us more the politics between the two characters rather than the ‘act’ itself. A gutsy and successful bit of directing.

3. Phone Line:
Janhit Mein Jaari was set in a village. The set was quite realistic. And in this realism, an absurd element stood out. On stage right was an Antenna. Dangling from the antenna was a mobile phone. A symbol of the only line of connection to the outside world for the villagers. A brilliant idea and used excellently in the physical comedy for when the phone rings.

4. Shadow Play:
This year at Thespo, a group of dancers devised a performance using the outside space at Prithvi. The piece used almost all the areas that it could. One of the stand-out elements was the use of shadows in one particular sequence. A man was dancing on the raised portion of the Prithvi steps. Inside projected on the gallery wall was a shadow that was moving him. Except the shadow was of another dancer. The jugalbandi between man and shadow was thrilling to watch. And at some point in the piece the postions of dancer and shadow dancer exchanged.

5. Deer caught in headlights:

Another moment from the site specific A.T.T.A.C.H.E.D. This was completely spontaneous. One of the dancers was doing her piece at the side gate of Prithvi house. There is a moment in the performance when she steps to cross the road to come to the Prithvi Theatre side. During her performance as she stepped across a car pulled up to let off audience members. It was almost like on cue the car turned up to light the dancer. The car waited patiently while the dancer finished her routine, before moving away. A lovely moment.

6. Live Music:
Kaizad Gherda accompanied the performance of Cock on a synthesiser. Although only intended to provide background score, the ‘live’ nature of the playing added tremendously to the performance. So much better than a cd playing the track. He was live and active and complemented the actors excellently.

7. Patil Picture:
Janhit Mein Jaari, is a love story about a small rural boy who falls in love with the Sarpanch’s daughter. The Sarpanch is a large dominating man. In one scene, the lovers meet in the inside room of the girls house. The presence of the father is on the wall in a hilarious drawing of the Sarpanch. Even in absence he is present.

8. Cross fade:
In Patient, the entire play is set in a hospital room. However in one particular sequence the patient recounts the day when his father first bought a transistor radio. It was a great day in their life. Instead of using another side of stage or even changing the stage, the scene in the chawl arrived in the hospital. Subtle changes to the furniture created the home, and the hospital bed although centre stage become almost unnoticeable. An ensemble of almost twenty came on, each completely immersed in his or her task, be it washing clothes, playing cricket or cooking. The transformation was like a slow dissolve in a film, except it took place right in front of our eyes. A subtle but exciting moment in theatre.

9. Hating the plays:
Sid Kumar got invited to talk about the screening process at the Thespo Awards Night. As with last year he hijacked the agenda to tell us why he wouldn’t pick these four plays. He is developing into a powerful stand up comic, and a comedy writer of some repute. Check out this link for his whole routine: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RryQt1y8NQ&feature=youtu.be

10. Inherit The Wind:
This is truly a personal choice. And it was made by the oldest performer at Thespo. Jagdish Raja, the Lifetime Achievement Awardee, chose to recite a speech from Inherit The Wind(ITW). ITW was the first play I had ever directed. And when I heard the first words, they seemed familiar. It was only half way through the speech did I realise why I knew the words so well. For me, it was a wonderful culmination to the week-long festival, and a beautiful rendition of immortal words.

And that’s the list. Send in your ‘Thespo 13 moments’ and let’s argue them on the blog.

> Up & Coming

2012-01-02T17:53:00.008+05:30

Schedule of Plays in January

For more information: www.facebook.com/writersbloc3

> Theatre Training

2012-01-02T17:51:00.002+05:30

Writers Bloc Workshops:

Adapting Work –
From : 10/01/2012 To : 10/01/2012; Start time : 6:00 PM End time : 8:00 PM
Faculty : John Dryden and Ayeesha Menon
Workshop details : How do you adapt a novel or real life story into a compelling script for stage, TV, film or radio? We break down that process in this interactive workshop. Come prepared with a project you’re working on or would like to work on.

Writing Comedy -
From : 13/01/2012 To : 13/01/2012; Start time : 4:00 PM End time : 8:00 PM
Faculty : Anuvab Pal
Workshop details : An intermediate level workshop that focuses entirely on comedy as a genre. You need to be familiar with the basics of scriptwriting and come prepared with an idea for a comic script, for film or stage specifically.

Directing New Writing -
From : 14/01/2012 To : 14/01/2012; Start time : 10:00 AM End time : 1:00 PM
Faculty : Richard Twyman
Workshop details :How does a director work with a play that’s just been written? We will explore different approaches to a new writer's text: taking participants through various techniques to direct and rehearse within the uncharted territory of a new play.
For directors only.

An Introduction to Writing for Teenagers –
From : 15/01/2012 To : 15/01/2012 Start time : 10:00 AM End time : 2:00 PM
Faculty : Shiv Subrahmanyam
Workshop details : A hands-to-paper play writing session for young minds, that will introduce concepts of plot, narrative, character building and more. You will produce a short script in the course of the workshop, which will then be presented to the public in a platform performance later in the festival.

Starting a Play -
From : 17/01/2012 To : 17/01/2012 Start time : 4:00 PM End time : 8:00 PM
Faculty : Carl Miller
Workshop details : A practical writing workshop using some of the techniques which have been a part of the Writers' Bloc process. You will be encouraged to explore possibilities at the first stage of writing a new piece of contemporary drama. Previous experience of playwriting is not necessary.

All sessions will be held at Prithvi House.Workshops are free but participants must register in advance by emailing nilousagar@gmail.com with full name, contact details and date of birth or call Niloufer on 9892763193.

Weekend with the Wiz:

Workshop by Raell Padamsee.

Audio Visual Room (above Experimental Theatre)
Saturday, 21st & Sunday, 22nd – 10.00 am to 12.00 noon

This is a creative drama workshop based on the much–adored fable The Wizard of Oz. It involves the use of various props, which encourages one to think out of the box and create original fun pieces of drama based on the delightful children’s classic. The workshop not only helps sheds inhibitions but also stimulates creativity and spontaneity. It also includes improvisations, costume designing and mimes.

Entry by registration.
Please call Craig on 9820517994 /22842845–8 for further details.
Limited seats available.

> Other Theatre News

2012-01-02T17:21:00.003+05:30

Mahindra Excellence in Theatre Awards announces META 2012:
To recognize and reward the best in Indian theatre, The Mahindra and Mahindra group is proud to present META (Mahindra Excellence in Theatre Awards) for the Seventh consecutive year. The only award of its kind, META is designed to showcase the best in theatre being produced in India.

The objective of META is to encourage all aspects of theatre craft such as playwriting, set, costume and light design, direction and performance. TheMahindra Excellence In Theatre Awards has been instituted by the Mahindra Group, in continuation of their commitment to promoting theatre.

In its Seventh year, the call for entries inviting the best of theatre from all over the Country has begun. All the productions that are entered and clear the eligibility criteria are viewed by an esteemed selection committee, the shortlisted plays are nominated and the Nominations are announced on the META website.

During the first week of March the nominated productions are staged in Delhi where the Jury views them, the best of the best are announced at the Glittering awards night at the end of the week.
Also please log on to www.metawards.com for further details and you may submit online your entry at http://www.metawards.com/submission_form/

WRITERS BLOC:

> Curtain Call

2012-01-02T17:17:00.003+05:30

Bollywood stars tweeted their tributes to Satyadev Dubey:

Amitabh Bachchan tweeted: 'Sudden news of the passing away of Satyadev Dubey ..a huge theatre icon .. committed and passionate about his craft .. Condolences !!'

Anupam Kher wrote: 'The Giant of Hindi Theatre Satyadev Dubey is no more. He was ruthlessly brilliant in his commitment to theatre. Great loss. RIP.'

Madhur Bhandarkar defined his demise as a great loss. 'A brilliant theatre actor & extraordinary screenplay writer, Satydev Dubey's demise is a huge loss 2 the industry. RIP!'

Director Anurag Basu tweeted: 'We lost two giants of theater this year,badal sarkar and now satyadev dubey.aaahhhh!!! fond memories of long addas,arguments, criticism , dubeyji borrowing cigarettes ,his scodings..invade me.'

Shabana Azmi wrote: 'The theatre stalwart Satyadev Dubey passed away half an hour ago. its been a terrible year for artists..he was a giant of theatre.'

Ken Ghosh was also saddened with the news. 'Sad to hear of the demise of Satyadev Dubey, he had very kindly conducted an acting workshop with the all new cast of Ishq Vishk,' he updated.

Ranvir Shorey wrote: 'Saddened to hear of Dubeyji's demise. Will miss him. RIP. '

Mahesh Bhatt tweeted: 'Satyadev Dubey the icon of the world of theater has passed away! Fond memories of our days of wandering invade me. Alvida Dubeyji! Love.'

Neha Dhupia: "Saddened to hear of Dubeyji's demise. Will miss him. RIP."

The Script, Edition 12 - December 2011. Thespo 13 Special Edition

2011-12-03T20:17:00.009+05:30

It's December. And that means only one thing and one thing only - ITS THESPO TIME!!!!!! AND ITS A TEENAGER!!!!!

This year Thespo is struggling to find support from the corporates and appeals to you help us save the festival! Become a Friend Of Thespo today!

From December 13th to 18th at Prithvi Theatre and NCPA Experimental, we proudly present THESPO 13 - THEATRE TERA MERA!!!

Here's the lo-down on all that we have on offer at Thespo 12:

Friends Of Thespo (FOT):- Save Thespo! Become a FOT today.

Thespo 13 Schedule:- The festival at a glance

Workshops:- Physical, Emotional, Absurdism, Radio and even Shakespeare. It's all here. From the UK, Australia and India. Register now!! Entry Free!!!!

Live Bands:- The Prithvi cafe comes alive every evening with live pop rock, alternative rock, Soul and Folk at Red Fm Band-o-Mast..

Platform Performances:- A regular feature at Thespo where performers explore space, form and content.

Plays:- A mouth watering palate which will make you laugh, touch your heart and explore your sexuality!

To find out more like tickets, workshop registrations, or just how to be a part of India's Premier Youth Theatre Festival. Log on to our blog at http://thespo13.blogspot.com/

If you wish to be a part of TEAM THESPO - Its not Late!! You can still Volunteer in various capacities for Thespo 13. Mail: thespo13@thespo.org

Our last month's quiz question was:
What word is used to describe a theatre that is closed?

Only 40% got it Right!

The correct answer was 'Dark'.

So since this is our 'Thespo' Special Edition, we thought we'd give you a certain 'Thespo' feel to all our regular sections. So sit back and enjoy.

Trivia Time: Thespo Stats
Mind Walking: Our First International show!
Thespo 13: Its Here!! Its now!!! Theatre Tera Mera!!!!!
Point of View: Priti Bakalkar reviews 'Spamalot' from Bangalore
4 Corners: Thespo Volunteers talk about their first Thespo experience.
Dolly Thakore's 'Life in Theatre': Dolly Thakore recounts the life of Thespo 9 Lifetime Acheivement Awardee and Theatre icon Pratap Sharma.
Q's Countdown: 10 acts of generosity that have happened at Thespo
Up & Coming: Details of the Final Four plays of Thespo 13 and Platform Performances.
Theatre Training: Details of Thespo 13 Workshops.
Other Theatre News: Details of PACT Zollverein Residency.
Curtain Call: Quotes on Thespo.

Yours Sincerely,
On Behalf of Q Theatre Productions,

Himanshu.
Editor, The Script

Theatre Trivia

2011-12-03T18:54:00.006+05:30

Number of plays at Thespo - 57

Number of Original Plays at Thespo - 29

Number of cities Thespo Screening have been to - 13 (and auditioned a play from New York!!)

Confessions has been the Longest Running play from Thespo in terms of years. This year marks the 5th year.

Most number of actors in a single play in Thespo - 33 (Manusmriti)

The first 4 years of Thespo was predominantly English plays, but the last few years have seen Marathi plays take Centre Stage. English plays still lead the way with 36 plays, 7 Hindi plays and 13 Marathi plays. We've even had 1 play Gibberish.

Mind Walking - Tour over

2011-12-03T18:28:00.004+05:30

BandBaazi from the UK in collbaration with QTP produced Tanika Gupta's 'Mind Walking'.

And so it's done. The mammoth tour that kept Q away from Bombay for 9 weeks has finally come to an end. After 13 venues in the UK and 3 in India, the show finally came down on the 18th of November at the NCPA Experimental. And what a ride it has been.
The feedback by and large has been positive, and hopefully more such projects will happen in the future.

The workshops were also very successful and Peter D'souza's Playing Shakespeare seems to have inspired the small group tremendously.

Thank you to everyone who helped in making the tour possible and also for turning out in such encouraging numbers.

Thespo 13

2011-12-03T18:25:00.002+05:30

For everything you need and want to know about the 13th edition of India's Premier Youth Theatre Festival, just click onto:

www.thespo.org

Friends of Thespo

2011-12-03T17:55:00.001+05:30

Become a Friend of Thespo TODAY!

Firstly we would like to thank all those who became Friends of Thespo this year. Your contribution has greatly helped our cause to bringing you India's Premier Youth Theatre Festival.

But its still not too late!!! 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

2011-12-03T17:49:00.006+05:30

SPAMALOT

I had heard about this Bangalore production of Spamalot (a version of Monty Python’s Spamalot which is “lovingly ripped off” from Monty Python Holy Grail, a 1970 film) produced by Cause Foundation, because of my acquaintance with Vivek Madan. For all those who do not know him, Vivek used to manage Thespo Bangalore. He had won the best actor award in Thespo 3 for his role Arthur in Nostalgia Brand Chewing Gum, which was later on (beginning of 2011) was being produced by Q Theatre Productions (which also happened to be directed by him). So coming back to Spamlot, since Vivek was a part of this multi starrer (35 cast and crew members!) musical comedy, I had to watch it when it came to Mumbai for NCPA Centrestage Theatre festival.

Spamalot is a spoof on the quest of King Arthur and the knights of Camelot for Holy Grail. It is full of songs and dance, of course being a musical, it has to be full of that.

The play is really super funny. The humour is actually rip roaring funny, as the play was publicised! But sadly the show I watched was nothing of that sort. It felt like as if I was watching an under rehearsed school performance.

There were two shows of the play for the festival and I watched the first show of Spamalot. The show started a bit late. The audience was let in when the technicians were still fixing a few things on the stage which was not a very encouraging sight for the audience who had sacrificed their Sunday siesta for this 4p.m. show. Maybe it was a warning sign as throughout the play we could see some characters moving around the stage in the background and they were not part of the cast!

The crew members had taken the concept of “quest” very seriously and during the blackouts they kept using torches backstage in search of God knows what!! One certain stage manager could be seen moving around the backstage with her bag most of the play duration. Finally my friends and I were so distracted that we started taking bets as to who will be seen next time. Oh, and then there was this mystical, magical green light which started glowing suddenly in the middle of the first act and it kept glowing till interval. We just could not understand what was happening there. May be the Lady of the Lake was sitting there all that time.

The group dancers seemed to be out of sync. Each dancer seemed to be doing his/ her own thing. In the early part of the 1^st act, there was a dance sequence (Lake Girls Cheer) where the dancers had tassels as props. One of the dancers dropped one of her tassels on the stage. That prop remained on the stage throughout the 1^st act, despite various scene changes till interval. But credit goes to entire cast & crew, it remained in the same position throughout that duration. However, in another dance sequence, similar shiny props were dropped on the stage by the dancers. This time some backstage member thought “enough is enough, I cannot let these props on stage” and he decided to collect it from the stage hiding behind sheer white cloth curtain! May be he thought the Lady of the Lake had made him invisible.

There is a scene where the Camelot Knights in their attempt to retaliate to the taunting of French Guards at a Castle, leave a large wooden rabbit (in the style of Trojan horse) at the gates of the Castle. When the scene got over the rabbit had to be taken away. It had to be taken offstage from one of the exit doors. For quite a while the crew could not figure out how they were to take it out of that door. There was a long deliberation happening on how it needs to be moved out as the wooden rabbit was really large for a rabbit! It clearly showed they had not done a run through before the show.

The amount of money and effort which were taken on the dancers costumes, if even one tenth of it was spent on the costumes of King Arthur and his Knights then watching varying styles of black shoes would not have been such an eyesore. And how can I miss the wrist watch worn by one of the Camelot Knights! May be he thought the watch was too precious to remove or maybe he thought it was anyway a spoof so how does it matter that wrist watches were still not invented in that era.

In spite of all these glaring defects, the play had it’s funny moments. First of all, I really enjoyed all the parts played by Vivek Madan. He played parts of the narrator, the Knight of Ni, Mrs. Galahad, the French guy, the Sentry, Tim the Enchanter etc. etc. The best I enjoyed was Mrs. Galahad and the French guy. He was so funny.

I also enjoyed the performance of the guy who played “Not Dead Fred” and Prince Herbert. I loved his heart wrenching rendition “Where are you”. It was really hilarious to watch the encounter between the Prince and Lancelot who had mistaken the Prince to be some damsel in distress.

If I am not wrong, it was Priya Mendens who played the Lady of the Lake. I really enjoyed her Diva tantrums. One more song sequence that I enjoyed was “He is Lancelot”. It comes when Lancelot (Mark Swaroop) comes out of closet and accepts that he is a gay. These were some of the performances are really enjoyed. The play as whole, however, did not appeal to me.

4 Corners - My First Thespo

2011-12-03T17:47:00.007+05:30

“What is Thespo?” At the beginning of my stay in Bombay, this question would have left me utterly confused. “I…don’t…know,” I probably would have stammered. To me, Thespo was this ‘theatre thing’—I knew about it because I knew someone, who knew someone else, who knew QTP, who ran Thespo. I quickly realized that as the resident firang of the QTP office, I had a lot to learn. No, Thespo is not a ‘thing.’ It is one of the most empowering youth theatre festivals in India. And no, theatre in India is not different from theatre in America. It’s just as crazy, just as much work, and just as much fun.

I still feel, even while writing this, the same unceasing pulse of electric energy that I felt at the first Thespo volunteer meeting I attended in October. This is the feeling that defines Thespo. No matter what time of the day I walk into the office, it is buzzing with excitement and activity. It’s always moving; always changing; always alive. The burst of inspiration that my first Thespo has given me is one that I cannot wait to share with the theatre-loving youth of India.

- Anjali Mehta

My first Thespo was Thespo 7 in 2005. (No wait, that can’t be right, I have only one more Thespo to go? Grrrmmphtt! ). I was managing production for Anshuman Jha’s Mr.Kolpert. And I was handling lights for the show too.

So, it was my first Thespo, first time ever working on a play, first time on lights and first time in Bangalore! How I miss Thespo at Bangalore. Bangalore is blissfully beautiful in December and RangaShankara is the place to be. For a first timer like me, being in theatre space like the RangaShankara, being in a different city, meeting people who share the same sentiment and enthusiasm for theatre was all too unreal!

Working on the play, almost single handedly was the best induction into theatre I could have asked for. From sitting in on rehearsals, making rounds to Crawford market, managing lists, learning how to prompt actors, managing a budget, getting the best deal for printing posters, transporting a 6 feet trunk to Bangalore and back, buying beer before show, emptying the beer cans and replacing it with water for show (no comments of what happened to the beer), to setting up stage, ordering pizza for the show, setting up the green rooms, watching and making notes while the tech set up, running a tech run to running a show. And running a show is where I found myself. Sitting all nerves at that light desk, watching a play come alive…I wanted more of that.

It was our show in Bombay, when it became clearer to me that I must do more of all of this. I saw Q, T and a whole bunch of QTP seniors at work none stop at the Experimental. It was most inspiring. It was also our show in Bombay, when it became clearer to me that lighting is what I had to do, more much more! I watched Arghya focus lights. (Nuff said!) He was uber helpful, he set up the show for me, explained each light and its function in a manner that I understood. It was all very magical, the lights, Arghya talking about lights was / is equally magical of course.

So then came operating the lights. Now I still didn’t know who Arghya was, so once we marked the board and were good to go for show he asked me “Would you want me to stay with you through the show?” to which I promptly said “No,I am good!” Arghya said “Right, well then, I am going to be here, if you need me”. Show went off smoothly, I had a slow fade out at the end of the play (a slow fade is actually philosophy/ a way life really, I learned this later )

I managed my ‘slow fade out’ well, Arghya patted me on the back at said “nicely done”.
I was very happy. Then I met Q on my way out from the tech room he patted me on my back at said “2 seconds too long”. I was still very happy.

I was now one Thespo , one play and two shows old. From here on I went onto to do many more Thespos and much more theatre. Some of the people I met and worked with on my first Thespo, I still work with. Some I met years later working in the theatre in different capacities, now with specialized focus areas, some as actors, directors others as designers.

You’re part of movement when you’re part of Thespo. You go back to Thespo, to watch a play or be part of a workshop and you get that feeling, I can’t describe it, it’s a feeling, you need to feel it.

You need to do it. Thespo!

- Sananda Mukhopadhyaya

Thespo.

Four years back, when I had just shifted to Bombay and was itching to do something that would keep the artist in me happy, I was introduced to the world of Thespo. What started off as a youth theatre festival, ended up changing my life.

In 2008. Rukawat ke liye Khed hai was the play that we were putting up for the screening. It was a cast of 14! And most of us had day jobs. We use to run for rehearsals as soon as we finished our jobs. The play didn’t make it to the final four but the screening was like a performance. And we thought we had done a brilliant job.

And then, there was the feedback session. And just like that, with a their pen nibs, they burst our bubble. They ripped us apart and I loved it! All their points made soo much sense and really helped us get better.

We started our own theatre company and participating each year became like a ritual. It is something that we knew we had to do.

This is my last Thespo and one thing that I have become an expert in these 4 years (thanks to those feedback sessions) is- what not to do in your plays.

And finally after all those years of learning, rehearsing, volunteering and hosting, it given me immense pleasure to introduce our play ‘Cock’- standing tall for Thespo this December.

- Shweta Tripathi

Dolly Thakore's 'Life in the Theatre'

2011-12-02T21:04:00.003+05:30

THE LEGEND, PRATAP SHARMA

It is with a heavy heart that I sit down to write about playwright, author, dog-lover, karate expert, actor, 'The Voice', and a warmth, affectionate, gentle friend Partap Sharma who left us last week on November 30, 2011.

If there is anyone I know who has never had an unkind word to say about people and events, it is Partap. Never envious, never complaining. Ever patient, and always cheerful.

My first encounter with the name was in London in 1966-67 when I was called to audition for 'A Touch of Brightness' to be staged at the Royal Court in Sloan Square on March 5, 1967. Needless to say I did not get the lead part of Prema – the beggar girl whose life unfolds in the red-light district of then Bombay.

It was there that I heard we were auditioning for a play by an Indian playwright that was banned in India. It is well-known now that on September 10, 1965, the actors passports were impounded on the eve of their departure to stage the play – directed by Alyque Padamsee - for the first Commonwealth Arts Festival.

But Partap did not give up. He filed a writ petition in the Bombay High Court challenging the ban. And in January 1972 the High Court revoked the ban. But it was not till August 9, 1973 that the Indian National Theatre first performed the play at the Tejpal Auditorium in Mumbai - directed by the playwright Partap Sharma himself. And I played Suraksha – one of the inhabitants of the infamous cages of Foras Road!

Returning to India, I first met Partap in 1970 - when I acted in his little known play 'The Professor has a War Cry' directed by Arun Sachdev at the now defunct Palm Beach School off Napean Sea Road. Thus began my numerous encounters and conversations with Partap in recording studios of the Films Division, Radio Gems, Radiowani, and Famous Mahalaxmi. This was our regular beat. And in 1970, I was assistant/casting/costume gofer to friend film director Shivendra Sinha for his film 'Phir Bhi' in which Partap played the lead.

But our conversations were always about his newly acquired Alsation puppy Ranja who Partap exercised every morning at the Race Course. And went on to write a few books that were dog-based…'Dog Detective Ranja', 'Top Dog'; Or his children’s book of stories 'The Surangi Tales' when his daughter Namrata and Tara arrived.

Then came his martial arts period. And he prided himself in regaling us with those experiences.

In 1989-90 he played Nehru in the film The Jewel of India by Kumar Kiran and in 2002 he was cast as Nehru again in the Bandung Sonata which took him to China where he was struck down with emphysemia. He returned with a lung infection, and almost since then an uninhibited Partap with his oxygen bottle cylinder and tubes could be seen at book launches, concerts, and special get-togethers.

On my brief encounters in recent years, he shared his training regimen for breathing….he began to learn to play the flute, train his voice under a classical guru. And gave us the most valuable renderings of Julius Caesar, Macbeth, and The Merchant of Venice -- playing all the voices including Calpurnia, Portia, Lady Macbeth…albeit taking breaks to recharge his lungs.

He never failed to astound one with his zest and pursuit for pushing himself to achieve what many of us deemed impossible.

I never missed a play by Partap Sharma.

His impeccable research for his plays “Zen Katha”, “Begum Samroo”, and the latest surprise “Sammy” made one marvel at his indomitable spirit.

As I look up at my book shelf I see many of Partap’s books staring down at me…but my all time favourite is 'Days of the Turban' about the rise of Sikh extremism and terrorism among the young elite in the troubled days of the Punjab.

I never missed a book by Partap Sharma.

And even as recently as two months ago he enthused about his latest book for his grandchildren with digital images, and asked for a publisher.

Four years ago, when Thespo 9 had chosen him to receive the Lifetime Achievement Thespo Trophy, he was shifted into ICU…but the same indefatigable spirit of encouraging the youth and paving a path for them made him seek special permission to be presented the trophy in his ICU bed by Vijaya Mehta - his first Bhabhi Rani of A Touch of Brightness.

And he has left us with that touch of his brightness that will always touch our lives through his plays, his books, his recordings, and his voice.

To view the Partap Sharma Video by Thespo, Click Here

To view Partap Sharma receiving the Thespo Lifetime Acheivement Award, Click Here

Q's Countdown

2011-12-02T19:07:00.049+05:30

Since Thespo 13 is all about Tera Mera, I thought I would list out acts of generosity that have happened at Thespo over the years. Please feel free to add to this list:

Set Sharing
In 2000 My Funny Valentine (MFV) had blocked their furniture with a set-wallah. The morning of the performance, they turned up to the godown to discover that the set wallah had given the same furniture to a film shoot in spite of a prior booking because the money offered was better. In a panic the MFV gang tried to find a replacements. Suddenly they chanced upon the furniture one of the other plays, Cheaters, which was still lying around back stage. A few phone calls later the Cheaters gang were only too glad to help. A quick change of upholstery and 'voila' the MFV had chairs to sit on!
Light it up!
It is no secret in theatre cricle that Argyha Lahiri is talented, and works for anyone or everyone who wants him. That explains why he is so overworked. But this is a carefully cultivated mentality that began many Thespos ago and continued through all his Thespo years. Arghya directed plays in 2000, 2001 and 2004. None of his plays won Outstanding Play. But almost every year he walked away with the Production Design Award, albeit for other plays. 2000 was for My Funny Valentine, , 2003 was for Trial, 2004 was for Sakharam Binder. When you are generous with your creativity, that is pure generosity.
Patron Saint of ThespoTheatre is my religion, Thespo is it's festival and Dolly Thakore is it's patron saint! The first Thespo office was a 6ft x 4ft carpet in her drawing room. And while we tried to feed young creative minds, she ensured that our uncreative bellies were fed. When there were no budgets for sets, her drawing room would become the catalogue from where groups would pick up set elements. And the parties...who can forget the parties. A thing of Thespo folk lore now, since finally her society asked us to stop partying there, but how anyone could open up their home to so many 20 somethings and not complain at the cyclonic damage is quite unbelievable! Thespo is truly tera-tera.
Danny of Decor
By the time Dhanendra arrived in Bombay he was already too old for Thespo, but that didn't stop him from diving in. First it was time, then man power and then whatever he had. Each year Danny loans Thespo elements from his other projects, be it materials, fabric, wiring or wood.
Proliferators
Some might argue that Natak Co. have been a regular feature at Thespo over the last few years. But before they knew what Thespo was they enthusiastically promoted it on campusses in Pune. In fact part of the domination of Pune teams has been through their efforts to proliferate the Thespo message among all and sundry. And the Pittie Hall where they formed now has a VERY special place in Thespo folklore as well.
Spare Rooms
There are quite a few people who have opened up their homes over the years to the descending hordes that come to perform at the festival. Virendra Shah is chief among these, and his 'office' has been home to more theatrewallahs than we can count. Shweta Tripathi is another person who throws open her home at the drop of a hat. Home is where the heart is, and clearly "they heart Thespo".
Sharing spaceIt was one of the most unique instances of generosity I have even seen. Ramu Ramanathan was a judge at Thespo 6 (2004) and was impressed with Chandan Roy Sanyal's Sakharam Binder Retold. So much so, that in a city where there is a paucity of dates for groups, he sacrificed his own two performances and gave them to Chandan. An unbelievable gesture, and more importantly it opened up the doors for Thespo plays to start having a life outside the festival.
THINK!
This was not the big Tehelka festival that happened in Goa, but the initiative of a former volunteer at the festival Priyanshi, who decided in 2009 that it had been long enough that Thespo had no merchandise. So she took it upon her self to make quirky gits like candle stands, clocks, magnets, etc. for the winners and judges. The gifts were a big hit, and finally Thespo could brand things.
Friends
So Thespo was kind of lonely last year. It knew a lot of people, but didn't have really an friends. But then as the old saying goes, "A friend in need..." and suddenly friends appeared. Thespo 12 was completely supported by what we later learned was called 'Crowd Funding". It was quite a humbling moment. 120 people signed up in less than two weeks. Wow. The Friends of Thespo membership programme is still on, so if you are reading this and haven't signed up, please do. We really want to build the community, because that is where the love is.

Stranger Kindness
We have never quite figured this one out. How is it that random people are so generous to Thespo. Sometimes it is through financial support, but most of the time it is through time and expertise. Dropping everything else to become a judge, or taking the time to sit with green horns to patiently take them through the simplest of tasks. to giving up sabbaticals to tour the country or watch a young troupe. The theatre fraternity truly seems to be a warm place to work...makes me glad I don't work in any other medium.

> Up & Coming

2011-12-02T19:01:00.004+05:30

Schedule of Plays in December

Theatre Training - Thespo 13 Workshops

2011-12-02T18:58:00.003+05:30

presents
Exciting Theatre Workshops for One and All!

Thespo announces its plans for 2011! Along with the usual fare of full length productions, platform performances, lives bands, etc., Thespo 13 brings a wide array of theatre workshops in the next 2 weeks. (Complete schedule given below). Thespo 13 will be held from 13 to 18 December at the Prithvi and NCPA theatres.

Thespo has always been committed to introducing the young theatre wallah to new ideas and providing them with an opportunity to train in the various aspects of theatre. Keeping that as the focus, Team Thespo has curated a series of unique workshops that will be conducted by the local and international theatre fraternity. Workshops will be lead by theatre legend Alyque Padamsee, actor/director/trainer Faezeh Jalali and RJ Rohini Ramanathan. Thanks to our continuing partnership with Urban Myth Theatre of Youth (Adelaide, Australia), we have director David Hirst at the festival. We have also joined hands with UK’s Kipper Tie Theatre who will be represented by Bernie Byrnes and Jim Fowler.

Says Thespo 13 Festival Director, Vidisha Kanchan: “Staying true to our word from last year, we thought the festival would be a great way to provide some organized training to young theatre-wallahs who keep coming back to the festival every year. It is their continued support and love that has made it possible for us to host Thespo 13 – Theatre Tera Mera!”

Most of the workshops are single session, free and open to one and all! It is not necessary to be a theatre practitioner to be a part of these workshops. It simply gives you a chance to understand theatre and garner your interest in it. Enthusiastic participants can sign up for multiple workshops as well.

There are a limited number of seats in each workshop, so register today!

To register call Ishani- +91 9920767209 or Anjali- +91 9619633090

For more details: www.thespo.org / thespo13@thespo.org

-----------------------------------------------x----------------------------------------

For more details, interviews, photographs, contact Thespo 13 PR Team: Manan Mehta on +91 9769952050 and Ishani Chatterji on +91 9920767209

Thespo 13 – Workshops Schedule

No	Title	Workshop Leader	Description	Date, Time & Place
1	Us and Them	David Hirst	Walls may divide 2 groups, but they also formalize a relationship between them. How does one overcome these boundaries and find one’s identity.	3 sessions from 30 Nov to 5 Dec 2011. Performance on 13th December, 8pm at Prithvi and 17th December, 6pm at NCPA
2	Creating Theatre - a practical exploration of plot / character / genre and text	Bernie Byrnes & Jim Fowler	A unique opportunity to create a piece of theatre in just three hours! Come, tell your story.	13th December, 10am to 1pm, Prithvi House
3	Physical Theatre	Faezeh Jalali	Explore physical movement through Laban movement and gain an understanding of how they can be useful in a scene.	13th December, 2pm to 5pm, Prithvi House
4	The Exploration of the Physical and Emotional in Theatre	David Hirst	A study of body and emotion as tools to explore character and communication.	14th December, 10am to 1pm, Prithvi House
5	Theatre for Children - a practical exploration	Bernie Byrnes & Jim Fowler	Dramatise your favourite children’s story, nursery rhyme or poem and entertainment the most difficult group of audience members!	14th December, 2pm to 5pm, Prithvi House
6	Forum Theatre (Boal) - a practical exploration	Bernie Byrnes & Jim Fowler	Learn how Boal's notions of Forum Theatre can be used in Drama Therapy, Conflict Resolution and Personal Development.	15th December, 10am to 1pm, Prithvi House
7	The Exploration of the Physical and Emotional in Theatre	David Hirst	A study of body and emotion as tools to explore character and communication.	15th December, 2pm to 5pm, Prithvi House
8	Creating On Air characters	Rohini Ramanathan	Discover what it takes to create memorable characters on radio.	16th December, 10am to 1pm, Prithvi House
9	Absurdism - a practical exploration	Bernie Byrnes & Jim Fowler	Create your own piece of absurdist theatre – clichéd, comic or cyclical. Anything is possible!	16th December, 2pm to 5pm, Prithvi House
10	Shakespeare: Alive and Kicking!	Alyque Padamsee	An insight into Shakesperean Theatre.	TBC

To register call Ishani- +91 9920767209 or Anjali- +91 9619633090

For more details: www.thespo.org / thespo13@gmail.com

Other Theatre News

2011-12-02T18:55:00.003+05:30

Call for Entries for Residencies 2/2012

From August to December 2012 PACT Zollverein is offering a residency programme for the development and realisation of projects and productions, which is open to professional artists from both Germany and abroad working in the fields of dance, performance, media art or music. Residencies are planned individually and include a working space and local accommodation as well as financial support in the form of a weekly grant allowance and travel costs. By arrangement and subject to requirement, PACT Zollverein also offers its residents technical support and advisory assistance with press and public relations and dramaturgy.

A residency CAN incorporate the following:

> Studio space (from 63 to 173 sq. m.)

> Local accommodation (maximum 6 people)

> Weekly grant allowance for all of the residency project participants (maximum group of 6 people)

> Travel costs covering one journey only per participant to and from PACT Zollverein (subject to prior agreement)

> Technical equipment (by arrangement and subject to availability)

> Stage rehearsals with professional technical supervision and support (by arrangement and subject to availability )

> Daily professional open class

> Professional advice in: Project funding, project management, press and public relations

Your applications should include:

> the completed application form (to be found at: www.pactzollverein.de/english/workingfields/residencies.html)

> a short letter of motivation

> a project description

> a 10 line summary of your project description

> curriculum vitae for everyone involved in the project

> only 1 DVD / CD-ROM of your own work

Closing date for applications: December 12th 2011 (post-marked)

Please do not send the material by registered post or by email !

All complete applications received by this date will be considered and replied to in writing. Residents are selected by a panel. Please note that we can unfortunately not return your application material to you.

Casting Call for Snow White:
Indigo Kids Edutainment reopens their super hit kid's comedy, "Snow White and the Naughty Eleves". Last year Snow White opened to full houses on children's day with rave reviews. This year we tour the show to Bangalore, and Chennai. We are looking for actors with talent, but not neccessarily too much stage experience. Fluent english speaking is a must. Male and female roles both open. Please call 9820143854. Currently casting for the Naughty Eleves, The Prince, The Mad Scientists, and the Wicked Queen.

Curtain Call - Thespo Quotes

2011-12-02T18:53:00.006+05:30

Being the Special Edition of Thespo, we decided we should get a quote on what Thespo meant to the FD's (Festival Directors) of Thespo this year and years gone by. This is what they had to say:

"Everyday at Thespo feels like christmas morning. Thespo completes me. Thespo is the window to my soul (Wow I actually became teary eyed).
Thespo introduced me to some of the strangest and most wonderful people in the world. It gave me the chance to belong to something very special. In its own way it helped my find myself. Its been 5 years for me and I still ache for more. I met my best friends here, I experienced some of theatre's finest moments on and off the stage, It just gives me this feeling of happiness inside. Its not something I can express or put down in words..but its mine...This special bond between me and Thespo. to put it simply, Q was once telling me about all the difficulties that we might have to face but it would all be worth it in the end. I was asked if I was up for it...My resposnse - you had me a Thespo."

- Amanda Cardoz, FD Thespo 11 in 2009

"Thespo teaches you a lot of things. You will learn how to make excel sheets, press the right buttons on people and machines alike, you will suffer rejection and understand the joys of hard earned victories. You will meet all kinds of people and learn all kinds of things about yourself. Most of all you need to Thespo because it will introduce you to a group of people who are even willing to drive themselves into penury so that every year a handful of youngsters can fall in love with theatre."

- Sneha Nair, FD Thespo 11 in 2009

"THESPO - A festival that has been run by the youth for the youth. Being one of the FD’s is a job with a great responsibility. Deadlines after deadlines. They all come and go. It is here that I made some great friends, got an opportunity to learn from the Theatre giants, realized that a mistake is not a mistake until the audience realizes it and the art of naming files (with dates).If you want to have a life changing experience, or want to take on an adventure, Thespo is the place to be. Great people, hard working days and nights and an honest effort to do better theatre than that has been done before."

- Varun Bangera, FD Thespo 13 in 2011

"This month I worked with Kala Jathas in Rajasthan. As a campagin advocate for education reform, getting the opportunity to work with a local theatre group was a tremendous high. But before Thespo, theatre wasn't even a tiny part of my life. Co-Directing Thespo X changed how I look at work. Now i see theatre in everything!"

- Mehjabeen Jagmag, FD Thespo X in 2008

2011-11-10T15:54:00.005+05:30

Welcome to the November issue of The Script. This month sees festivals galore with the 'Tata Literature Live', NCPA's 'Centre Stage' and our very own 'Thespo 13'. Check out the Other Theatre News Section for more details. Due to Prithvi Theatre being closed in November for renovations, the number of shows this month might be low, but do check the Up & Coming Section and catch some of the theatre happening in November.

On the QTP front, we are very excited to present our first International Project, 'Mind Walking' which is touring India in November at Delhi, Bangalore and Bombay. Do buy your tickets now!!! Also the Director and Cast of 'Mindwalking' will be conducting workshops - 'Playing Shakespeare' and 'Devising with a fixed Cerceau' at the NCPA. Check the Theatre Training section for more details. And as mentioned earlier, Thespo 13 is right round the corner. Are you ready????????????????

Our last month's quiz question was:
Which 2 actors, most famous for ther screen performances, played the lead roles n David Hare's 'The Vertical Hour' when it opened on Broadway in 2006?

60% got it Right!

The correct answer was 'Bill Nighy and Julianne Moore'.

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

Trivia Time: Fly System
Great Text: We're taking a break!!!!!!!

Mind Walking: Our first International Project!!
Thespo at Prithvi: Holi and Confessions return!!
Thespo 13: One month away!!!!!!!!!!!!
Friends of Thespo: Become one now!
Point of View: Priti Bakalkar reviews 'Copenhagen'
4 Corners: Director John Binnie talks about the process of creating 'Mindwalking'.
Dolly Thakore's 'Life in Theatre': Dolly Thakore shares her theatre month of October.

Q's Countdown: Q counts 10 thngs he learnt while tourng with 'Mindwalking' in the UK.
Up & Coming: Complete Schedule of what to watch in November.
Theatre Training: Mindwalking Workshops, NCPA Workshop on Direction, Kalari and Theatre Professionals' Workshop.
Theatre News: Tata Literature Live and Centre Stage.
Curtain Call: Frank Scheenberger on good theatre.

Yours Sincerely,

On Behalf of Q Theatre Productions,

Himanshu.

> Theatre Trivia

2011-11-10T15:29:00.001+05:30

Theatre Trivia - Fly System

A fly system, flying system or theatrical rigging system, is a system of lines (e.g. ropes), blocks (pulleys), counterweights and related devices within a theatre that enable a stage crew to quickly, quietly and safely fly (hoist) components such as curtains, lights, scenery, stage effects and, sometimes, people (e.g. Peter Pan).

Systems are typically designed to fly components between clear view of the audience and out of view, into the large opening, fly loft, above the stage.

Fly systems are often used in conjunction with other theatre systems, such as scenery wagons, stage lifts and stage turntables, to physically manipulate the mise-en-scène.

Theatrical rigging is most prevalent in proscenium theatres with stage houses designed specifically to handle the significant dead and live loads associated with fly systems. Building, occupational safety, and fire codes limit the types and quantity of rigging permitted in a theatre based on stage configuration.

Theatrical rigging standards are developed and maintained by organizations such as USITT and ESTA (now PLASA).

The line set is the fundamental machine of a typical fly system.

The function of a typical line set is to fly (raise and lower) a slender beam (typically a steel pipe) known as a batten by hoisting it with lift lines (typically synthetic rope or steel cable).

By hanging scenery, lighting, or other equipment to a batten, they in turn may also be flown.

A batten is said to be "flying in" when it is being lowered toward the stage, and "flying out" when it is being raised into the fly space.

Battens may be just a few feet in length or may extend from one wing (side) of the stage to the other. A batten is suspended from above by at least two lift lines, but long battens may require six or more lift lines.

In manual rigging, a line set’s lift lines support weights opposite their connections to the batten in order to balance the gravity load of the batten and whatever it carries.

The lift lines are reeved through a series of pulleys, known as blocks, that are mounted above the stage to fly loft structure.

An operating line (a.k.a. hand line or purchase line) allows riggers on the fly crew to raise and lower the batten.

Automated rigging sometimes uses weights to help balance line set loads in a manner similar to manual counterweight rigging. Otherwise it relies solely on the motor power of an electric hoist to fly a line set.

Line sets are typically general purpose in function, meaning they can perform any number of functions which vary depending upon the requirements of a particular theatre production. For example, a general purpose line set can usually be quickly transformed into a drapery or scenery line set, but converting a general purpose line set into an electrical line set is more involved.

When a line set has a predetermined, relatively permanent, function it is known as a dedicated line set.

Flying rigs are used to fly scenery or performers in a more elaborate fashion than typical line sets.

> Great Text Reading

2011-11-01T20:27:00.001+05:30

Great Text Reading - We're taking a break

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 October, we read Ron Hutchinson's "Moonlight & Magnolias - 1939 Hollywood is abuzz. Legendary producer David O. Selznick has shut down produc-tion of his new epic, , a film adaptation of Margaret Mitchell s novel. The screenplay, you see, just doesn t work. So what s an all-powerful movie mogul to do? While fending off the film s stars, gossip columnists and his own father-in-law, Selznick sends a car for famed screenwriter Ben Hecht and pulls formidable director Victor Fleming from the set of . Summoning both to his office, he locks the doors, closes the shades, and on a diet of bananas and peanuts, the three men labor over five days to fashion a screenplay that will become the blueprint for one of the most successful and beloved films of all time.

We will be taking a break from Great Text in November (cause we'll be choco-o-block with Thespo 13) and December (owing to the new year). We will be back on 30th January 2012. See you then!!!!

> Mind Walking

2011-11-01T20:20:00.003+05:30

We have our first Internatinal Project!!!!

BandBaazi from the UK and QTP are producing Tanika Gupta's 'Mind Walking'.

The show opened in the UK on 29th September at the Waterman's Art Centre, London.

A family drama about an elderly relative growing old in a foreign land.

A new aerial drama by acclaimed playwright Tanika Gupta, Mind Walking is a celebration of a mature love affair between husband and wife, Bobbie and Moira. They have been married for over 40 years, but as Bobbie's mind starts to wander, he enters his childhood of 1950's Bombay. It is a world that his wife, daughter and grandson have no knowledge of. Mind Walking is a tender family drama about ageing and caring. It is directed by John Binnie, and the cast includes Jonothan Campbell, Peter D'Souza, Kate Dyson, Dylan Kennedy and Philippa Vafadari.

Brighton based BandBazi (Love Indeed and Breakfast at Audrey’s) combine aerial trapeze with emotionally charged and character driven narratives.

Mind Walking is a co-production with Q Theatre Productions, Mumbai. Tanika Gupta has written plays for the Royal National Theatre, the Young Vic, the Royal Court and Soho theatre.

'Mind Walking is extraordinary, and I’m not just talking about the acting or the script.' The Stage, Claire Brotherwood 2011

They will be touring the UK, before coming to India in November.

Dates:

8th to 10th November: British Council Auditoirum Delhi

12th and 13th November: Jagriti Auditorium, Bangalore

18th November: 4pm and 7:30pm: NCPA Experimental, Bombay.

Early reviews have been very positive. You can read the first review of the play by clicking Here

Book you tickets now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

For tickets in Delhi and Bangalore, Click Here

For tickets in Bombay, call NCPA: 22824567 or book online: www.bookmyshow.com

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

Also included are the Mind Walking workshops, the details of which are given below:

Playing Shakespeare: 17th November, 2011, Thursday at British Counsel, Bombay.

Senior actor and drama trainer Peter D'Souza takes participants through the magic of playing The Bard's words. The tools to keep in mind and how to make Shakespeare come alive.

Workshop will be conducted by Peter D'Souza and Philippa Vafadari. No. of Participants: 15. Registration Fees: Rs.1000/- per person.

Devising with a fixed Cerceau 18th November, 2011, Friday at NCPA Experimental.

A workshop about creating work with this strange aerial form. How it changes the rules of performance. How it can be used.
Workshop will be conducted by John Binnie & Dylan Kennedy. No. of Participants: 15. Registration Fees: Rs.1500/- per person.

> Thespo 13

2011-11-01T20:17:00.003+05:30

Thespo 13 - One Month Away!!!

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 and an Annual National Festival organised every December.

This year Thespo 13 will be held in December 2011 at Prithvi NCPA Theatre.

THESPO 13 - JUST ROUND THE CORNER

The Screening Process is over!! 20 Days, 8 Cities, 82 Plays later, Thespo 13 has its final 4 plays which will be performing from the 13th to 18th of December at the Prithvi Theatre and NCPA.

And the Final 4 plays are...........................................................................................................................

WATCH THIS SPACE NEXT MONTH!!!!!!!!!

This year's screening panel consisted of the likes of Siddharth Kumar (Director, Actor, Playwright and Thespo Winner) and Kashin Shetty (Director, Actor and Winner of 2 Thespo's).

Over the years, the full length play's that have made to Thespo, have produced some outstanding talent who have gone on to be successful in theatre as well as various fields in film and radio. Some of them include: Anand Tiwari, Namit Das, Chandan Roy Sanyal, Karan Makhija, Amrita Puri, Kshitee Jog, Akarsh Khurana, Nadir Khan, Preetika Chawla and Ali Fazal.

Some plays have even gone to perform at various International Theatre Festivals.

How you can still get involved:

* 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

2011-11-01T20:10:00.003+05:30

Become a Friend of Thespo TODAY!

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

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.

> Point of View

2011-11-01T20:07:00.001+05:30

COPENHAGEN

“Michael Frayn’s tremendous new play is a piece of history, an intellectual thriller, a psychological investigation and a moral tribunal in full session.” That’s a review given by Sunday Times when the play originally opened in London in the year 1998. I could not agree more.

The play moves around the attempt of spirits of Neils Bohr, Margrethe Bohr and Werner Heisenberg to find out why did Werner Heisenberg mysteriously visit Niels Bohr and his wife Margrethe in Copenhagen in the year 1941? What was his real motive and what exactly happened during that fateful walk of Neils and Werner that evening? The play tries to explore what could have happened during that historic meeting of two of world’s greatest nuclear physicists who were on the opposite sides during the World War II.

The play opens to the spirits of Neils Bohr (Tom Alter), Margrethe Bohr (Veera Abadan) and Werner Heisenberg (Vivek Tandon) waltzing to a beautiful symphony, their faces are covered with masks. This immediately captures the attention of the audience. As the music stops all three stand on a platform and disclose that they are dead and their spirits have come together to try and find out what happened on that fateful evening of 1941 and what were the implications of that meeting on the world at large.

Neils and Werner are two of the greatest Physicists. If you remember your school days then you will remember that we had study the atomic model and do you remember what is was called? Bohr’s Atomic Model. Well, that Bohr is Neils Bohr, one of the protagonists of the play. It was such a “eureka” moment for me when I realised the connection.

Anyway, coming back to play, it was actually an intellectual thriller. It was so much fun to watch Werner getting in “foot in mouth” situation right from the moment he enters the house of Neils and Margrethe, asking wrong questions, making wrong comments and realising he is making a fool of himself. As also Neils making nasty politically incorrect comments for the ears of German officials who he believes to have bugged his house.

There is awkwardness between the three of them despite sharing really warm relationship before the war began or rather before they chose their sides. Werner looked up to Neils as a father figure and the feeling was mutual. He was treated like a family member when he was an intern with Neils in his early days.

The initial apprehension of Margrethe about having Werner as guest in the volatile situation of 1941 and he having chosen to be in Germany, melts away as the evening progresses. However, as the evening progresses the tension between the two great scientists goes on building and finally after their walk it reaches to a point where Neils almost unceremoniously drives Werner out of his house.

Rest of the play tries to explore what happened between the two that caused such extreme reaction of Neils. As the plot progresses, we come to know that Werner had proposed an idea which till then according to Neils was impossible reality. The idea finally leads to creation of nuclear bomb which caused destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Neils had never believed in possibility of Nuclear Fission theory could produce weapons for mass destruction. Whereas Werner was working on atomic reactor that would have produced Plutonium which would have helped Germany to build a nuclear bomb. However, being aware of the implications of such a bomb, he asks for so lesser funding from Hitler that Hitler almost does not believe in the programme and that was the end of German atomic bomb. However, simultaneously, a team of scientists were working on the idea in America to which Neils contributed, and his contribution actually triggered the Nagasaki bomb.

The play talks in depth about the moral implications of nuclear program and responsibility of the physicists. There is a beautiful scene where Werner vents out his frustration before Neils. He says after the war, during his visit to America in 1949, a lot of physicists would not even shake their hands with him. Hands that actually built the nuclear bomb would not touch his. Hypocrisy at it’s best, I guess.

There is another beautiful scene where the two of these physicists are having argument on how could Werner make mistake in calculation. Neils is ridiculing him for that. So Werner retorts that even he did not realise that the chain reaction could produce a weapon of mass destruction. How could he have missed it. To which Neils answers that he missed it because he was not trying to make a bomb and Werner tells him, precisely for the same reasons he made mistakes in his research, because contrary to the belief of everyone he was not trying to build a bomb. Later on we come to know that the intention of Werner to visit Neils is to dissuade Neils from contributing to the American project. However, Neils misunderstands him and thinks Werner is actually trying to build nuclear bomb for Germany.

Margrethe plays a connecting bond between the two of them. She loves both these men. One man, who is her husband and the other one she has always treated like her son. All through her life she tried to figure out why Werner visited them after making his choices. Was he there to show off what he had achieved staying in Germany? What was his intention? And what happened between the two men that caused such friction between the two. Her commentary on their attitudes maintains the flow of the story. Without her the play would have fallen apart.

It is almost a three hour long play. But it captivated me till the end. I am not making a general statement because I saw a lot audience members leave the auditorium during the interval. But let me tell it is not at all due to bad script or bad performance or anything about the play. It was just too much of science for them to handle.

The energy of all three actors was just incredible and the subject was so complex. There is so much of emotional drama, it is a draining exercise. But the way all of them carried it off was amazing. Especially when Neils and Werner were discussing Nuclear Fission theories, chain reaction and atomic mass of Uranium isotopes and all that jargon, not one moment it felt that they are acting it out; it was as if all through their lives they have been doing this. Yes, there were certain places where the actors forgot their lines, especially during the complex discussions but they helped each other to come back so smoothly that one would not even realise that they made a mistake. The discussions reminded me of my tormenting college days when I had to study Physics. I wish I had watched the play that time. I would not have hated the subject so much. In all probabilities I would have fallen in love with the subject. It was an intellectual orgasm experience for me.

It is going to play again on 15^th & 16^th of November at NCPA Experimental at 7p.m. If you have not watched it yet, you must try and catch it on one of these days. A must watch, if not for anything else, watch it for sheer energy and integrity and conviction of the actors and of course the powerful script.