Rang Manch

I watched my first two plays at Rangashankara, Bangalore. I don’t remember the names, but those were really nice, and provoking enough to spark a flame of desire for theatre in me. One of those plays was an adaptation of a French or a Spanish play, I don’t remember. That was a philosophical comedy in which characters were confused as they didn’t know if they were real entities or merely playing characters of some play. The play unfolds to be a nested play inside a play, to an unidentifiable nesting order.

The other play was a small dialog between two men over a lady who’s dead. One of those men was her husband and the other was her lover. It was a marture and really sensitive dialog.

After coming to Delhi, I am all set to watch all the happening plays here. Some of the plays I watched (and I remember) are listed below:

City of Djinns – based on a book by same name by William Dalrymple – The play starred Tom Alter, Zohra Sehgal and a myriad of theatre actors. It was an adaptation of Dalrymple’s travalogue about Delhi (Dalrymple is really fascinated with Delhi’s history it seems). Author mentions rise and fall of the city that was Delhi in different times dating back to Mughal Empire, in the times of The Last Mughal Bahadur Shah Zafar till the times of 1984 riots that followed the assassination of Mrs. Indira Gandhi. As the play had to be grand and switching between the scenes had to be swift, the play was bound to be staged at some place as huge and magnificent as Mati Ghar at Indira Gandhi National Center of Arts. Things like live music by qawwals, diwali celebrations, rooster fighting, snake charmers, kabab-wallah etc made the event memorable.

Ghalib in New Delhi – by Dr. M. Sayeed Alam – It was a comedy play staged at Shri Ram Center of Performing Arts in which Ghalib, the famous Urdu poet, decides to get re-born in his beloved city, Shahjahanabad (Old Delhi). But after coming here, how he finds his identity, and that of the city, changed is a rib-tickling act. But I felt that some over-acting by a few characters like Ghalib’s Bihari room-mate and Ghalib’s land-lady could have been done away with. But overall, the play was nice, and worth a watch. Ghalib’s arguments with rickshaw-puller over the definitions of ‘Sawaar’ and ‘Sawaari’ is humorous.

Paisa Bolta Hai – by Late Rakesh Mehra (founder of Three Arts Club) – a satire staged at Shri Ram Center of Performing Arts

Bade Aadmi – by Late Rakesh Mehra (founder of Three Arts Club) – a comedy staged at Shri Ram Center of Performing Arts

Maulana – by Dr. M. Sayeed Alam – Starring Tom Alter

Kyunki Sasur Bhi Kabhi Damaad Tha - pathetic, staged at LTG, Mandi House...!! It was so casually written and directed that it all looked like a skit done for time-pass. Forget it...

Bikhre Bimb – Written by Giish Karnad – Starring Sushma Seth and Rashmi Vaidyalingam. It was an encounter of a Kannada writer Manjula Nayak and her conscience. Manjual writes in Kannada but doesnt get much acclaim. She then writes an English novel and suddenly she is famous. In a TV interview, she talks about her career and about her family that included her Husband and her handicapped sister (now dead). After the interview, she faces a grill with her own self (pratibimb - means reflection) that reveals the secret. Manjula comes out to be a plagiarist who finds a story in her sister's diary after she's dead and gets it published in her own name. Sushma Seth acted Manjula and Rashmi Vaidyalingam her image.

Main Istanbul Hoon – An NSD Repertory Company presentation, staged at IGNCA. Directed by Sh. Mohan Maharishi, it was the best play i’ve seen till now. Based on the works of Orhan Pamuk, an Istanbul based Nobel Laureate writer, it was divided into two parts. The first half was partly based on 'Istanbul - Memories and the City' and second half was based on 'My name is Red'. It was staged in open air, but still I've never come through such a good light-and-sound work. And the acting of stars (yes, they are the 'actual' stars, the celebs for me) was outstanding. I remember one scene where Orhan (acted by Amit Pathak, I'm already his fan) and his mother (acted by Daksha Sharma, high potential actress) argue over Orhan's career and his mother sort of scolds him loudly. Orhan was taking it laughing, casually and acting madly to dodge the scoldings, lying down and throwing hands and legs furiously, and his mother continuously scolding him loudly. The only things that were lit on the stage were Orhan (smoothly lit with the floor beneath him blinking like some dance floor) and his mother's face, just her face, brightly lit. Complementing this work of light was the work of sound.
Sameep Singh acted the historian Kochu. The leading lady of 'My Name is Red' (forgot her name) was acted by Nidhi Mishra, really impressive performance. All in all, suberb.

Jis Lahore Nai Dekhya O Jamya Nai – written by Dr. Asghar Wajahat – directed by Anil Sharma. Based on the post-partition exodus where a Muslim family moves from Lucknow to Lahore and occupies a haveli of some Hindu family only to find an old woman, they call her Maii, hidden there. Maii refuses to leave and stays there only. Problems arise and slowly people aound her develop a soft corner, and then respect, for her.

Mote Ram ka Satyagrah - by Munshi Premchand - Directed by Arvind Gaur - presented by Asmita Theatre Group. Not as good as I expected it to be. Actors were forgetting their dialogues, acting consciously.

Othello - An NSD Repertory Company presentation - Directed by Raj Bisaria. Based on Shakespeare's great work, it was an experiment in the way it was adapted in a 'Nautanki' style. It started with a group song titled 'Surat kai par sirat ek hi' sung by the actors and actresses with live music. With such a mind-blowing start, I expected a masterpiece ahead, and it much more indeed. Partly poetic in dialogues, literally in nautanki style, it managed to keep the spirit of the play alive. I could spot 3-4 actors who acted in 'Main Istanbul Hoon' also - Amit Pathak (acted Casio here), Sameep Singh (Duke), Nidhi Mishra (Desdemona) and Daksha Sharma (Bianca). I so want to watch it once again...loved it.

Jaat hi poochho sadhu ki - An NSD Repertory presentation - Directed by Rajinder Nath - Written by Late Vijay Tendulkar. There is this 'doha' by Kabir: Jaat na poochho sadhu ki, poochh lijiye gyaan; mol karo talwar ka, padi rehen do myaan. This play depicted why Kabir had to say that doha. A yound lad, M.A. Hindi, seeks a decent job as a Professor but faces the truth of racism. Though he gets a job (as he was the only candidate for that post in that college), he had to struggle a lot, play games and wear masks to retain in. In the end, he looses his job, but contended as he took it as a learning. Now, as always, NSD Repertory production has proved itself perheps the best and full of talented actors and production team by this act. It was a comedy play, with rural langauges of middle UP and west-UP, so it had a touch of those dirty abuses which are not considered as offensive there...or i'd say it was natural and explicit. Unlike other comedy plays i've watched, it had a mature and professional element in it. Again by the same NSD repertory group as was there in Main Istanbul Hoon and Othello. Kochu in Istanbul acted Chairman here, Iago in Othello acted dhobi here, Casio in Othello acted a friend of Babna (who acted Red in Istanbul i think)...and everybody is equally talented in all the art forms...they all sing so well with live music, so loud...!!! Would love to watch this one also again n again...!!!

Aurangzeb - Ohhh...finally....!! I had this play at the top of my hit-list for the last 2 years...!! I had dropped a mail to Natwa group asking when its scheduled next with a very li'l hope of any reply...and I never got any...!! But when I found on delhievents.com abt this, I was all planned for the event...!! Ummm...this topic, Aurangzeb, among The Moghuls, is one of my favorites...and I have read mixed opinions about him from various sources. I was still to develop my own opinion when i went for the play...and believe me, it was an eye opener for me...!! i literally had severe headache while watching it because i was in a state of constant learning...learning new facts...!! the play was not biased as per my knowledge, and it showed very human aspects of Shahjahan, Dara Shikoh, Aurangzeb, Jahanara and Roshanara...!! every character was so balanced that one cannot just blame anybody for anything...!! Dara Shikoh was acted by the same guy who presents Sansani...with his hair untied, he looked quite saintly...just appropriate for Dara's character...!!! You can read more about the plot of the play on Natwa's website http://www.natwa.com/.

Sadarame - Narhari Shastri's almost one century old play, a story about a middle class simple girl who gets married to the prince of that state and the problems they faced after that. The prince, who is indifferent to the worldy pleasures renounces the kingdom to Sadarame's greedy father and brother. Sadarame gets kidnapped from the forest when her husband goes to fetch some water for her...they device a plan to set Sadarame free only to find her stuck with a local theif. It was not supposed to be a comedy play, at least i did not expect it to be that ways, so I was a bit disappointed...but i'd only blame the direction for this, because the actors did well as they usually do...!!! Daksha Sharma acted Sadarame, Amit Pathak acted The Prince (they acted mother and son in 'Main Istanbul Hoon'), Nidhi Mishra had a very short role of a 'pagli' in it. Sameep Singh (acted Kochu in Istanbul) acted 'chor' here...!!!

Acharya Tartuffe - (watched on 31st May '09) A comedy riot, based on a French play by Moliere, directed by Prasanna...a story of a family whose head Omkarnath has blind faith on a 'dhongi' preacher 'Acharya Tartuffe'...!!! Tartuffe is hated by everybody in the house but Omkarnath and his loud mother Pitambari Devi...!! Tartuffe makes sexual advances towards Omkarnath's second wife Kamini and gets caught by his son, but Tartuffe abfuscates the issue acting innocent in front of Omkarnath...!! Then Omkarnath writes his will and gives everything, his daughter too, just to show his family his 'faith'...but ultimately he catches Tartuffe red handed making suggestions to Kamini. Everybody learns a lesson in the end. Sameep Singh acted Tartuffe, Kamini was acted by Sapna Khatana, Mamta (daughter) by Nidhi Mishra...overall a must watch for everybody...!!!

Ghasiram Kotwal - (watched on 6th Jun '09 at Kamani) Written by Late Vijay Tendulkar, I think the credit for maximum stagings goes to this one as far as Indian Theater goes. Really a masterpeice I'd say. And NSD Repertory actors on top of that, couldnt have been better. Its a story of a poor Brahmin Ghasiram who comes to Pune city for earn his daily bread. But the local 'High Class' Brahmins dont consider him as fellow brahmin and torture him on various occasions and humiliate him. He goes back to his home in Kannauj and comes back in Pune with his daughter and a game plan. He sacrifices (??) his daughter to the lecherous Nana Phadanvis and gets hold of the post of Kotwal, Pune City. And then starts his revenge to all those brahmin fellows who initially humiliated him. All this ends with the murder of his daughter and finally himself.
What i liked most about this play was its music and style of presentation. Human beings were used to depict houses in rows and walls of a cell in Jail. And can they sing in chorus so beautifully. Rural language, local words and phrases (which my friends had quite a problem to understand) and great constumes added to the feel.

1857 - Ek Safarnama - (watched on 7th Jun '09 at Kamani) - By Nadira Zaheer Babbar - This play basically is a sort of account of the events that took place during the months of May till October in 1857 in various parts of Norhtern India. It was the first attempt to uproot the British, but due to sheer lack of coordination between variuous rebellion troops. The play referred to the Annexation of Kingdom of Oudh (Awadh, modern day UP), distribution of chapatis from village to village as a code, Kanpur massacre at Satti Chaura Ghat and Siege of Delhi Walled City followed by the grand explosion of the Magazine at Kashmere Gate. The play demanded a large number of people on stage, there were moments of patriotism with a 'josh' song etc. Everything OK, but I somehow did not like the forceful addition of humor in between such a serious presentation/expression. At least I didnt expect it. Kamani offered a nice huge stage for such grand performance. One more thing which was really disgusting and annoying was that people, in spite of the request to keep mobiles silent, dont bother to make this effort. One fone rang during the show, OK...but then the other one rang, then the third one...it went on throughout the show and I dont know what kind of an idiot and illiterate that fellow must be who doesnt switch his fone off after he's requested to do so and even after some other fone rings (that shud act as a reminder, nay?). And as far as i noticed, most of such 'psuedo-elites' or 'intellectuals' were aunties, and some were girls...know what i mean....phewww...!!!

Uttar Ram Charit - (Watched on 13th Jun '09 at Sammukh) - Its a 'not-so-known' play about the post ramayana stories of Ramayana. I found this a very very mature direction and equally good performance by Amit Patahk as Ram, Nidhi Mishra as Sita and Sapna Khatana as Kush. There was this scene in the end where Ram and Laxman are invited to watch Ramayana as a play (Valmiki supposedly sent his creation Ramayana to Bharat Muni who wrote the play that was to be performed by Apsaras and Gandharvas, Luv took the charge of taking Ramayan to Bharat Muni). In that play, it is shown that Sita, now pregnant, commits suicide in river Ganga. Ram sees the image of Sita instead, and gets overpowered by emotions and shouts "Sita, ek kshan ruko priye" (Sita, hold for a moment dear). Laxman tells him that its just a play. It happens then that after seeing Sita going to Pataal-Lok, Ram cries and falls down on earth, unconsious. Then, Sita appears, touches Ram giving him life again. The End. Tha last scene was really a piece of art, loved it.

Kafka - Ek Adhyay- (Watched on 14th Jun '09 at Sammukh). The play was based upon the life of Franz Kafka (read more about him on wikipedia). He was writer whose majority of work came into limelight and got fame only after his death, he was suffering from TB. A totally different experience it was to see this play, in terms of direction, the stage work etc. There was a projection on a screen right in front of the audience (the back wall of stage) that first showed the pictures of Franz Kafka with a few more things. Intermittently, this projection was used to switch the scene to the corridor where Kafka's girlfriend is waiting to meet him in the sanatorium. Also, it showed blurred and vivid images to shows what Kafka is being through in his dreams. A nice experiment.

Unsuni - by Asmita Theatre Group - The play is written by Mallika Sarabhai and based on the under-privileged classes in Indian society. It has some 5 stories on different lines showing differerent sides of life of 'suppressed' sect of people whose voice is still 'unheard'...thus named Unsuni. Just OK, not a very pleasant experience.

Lehron Ke Rajhans - By Asmita theatre group - Written by Mohan Rakesh, the play needs no introduction. Liked the work of Viren Basoya in the character of the king, Sidhhartha's brother, who was not sure till the end what exactly he wanted. Background music was soulful. Also, liked the composure and aura of the actor who played the monk.

Doobi Ladki - NSD Repertory Co. - Based on 3 short stories of Nikolai Gogol, The Nose, The Overcoat and Night in May (or Drowned Maiden). This group still remains my favorite in terms of set design, acting, music and general things related to literature. The stories were interwoven so carefully that it did not feel like three different stories forcefully being merged. Daksha Sharma surprisingly (and so beautifully) played a boy, a member of a local notorious gang of youth gone astray. Felt like my thirst had quenched after such a long time during which I was totally devoid of any good theatre activities.