NATYA NAAD – Inaugural. Bansi Kaul
Seems like a few metal rods thrown at random angles on to stage, covered in white cloth. Standing horizontal. The fire hydrant pipes turned on to create a slither of a waterfall. What I learn later is that this is commonly used as a projector screen. But what’s the justification for wasting all the water?
You can hardly see the water. It’s creating “oh is there water”. That’s all. Sound effect. Completely delete-able.
Talking about historical music, history and using digital music – a digital drumset and keyboard.
23 microphones.




THE DOORWAY. Devised and directed by: Jyoti Dogra. 6 Jan 2010 2.30pm
Sound
Disconnected
Insanity
Mechanical
Irrational
Dreamland
Multiple personalities
Sanity
Sex
Voice and body – she has complete control. (though ‘experts’ say much work is needed for her to achieve the true essence of her voice control).
She is ½ ft away from her audience. Asking for help… nobody responds.
Audience – sleepy, bored, glued, leaving, (30 mins)
Light on audience, she walks into the audience. Nobody responded, neither did I.
Limited words, playing with sound,
Theatre audience vs non- theatre audience ( is what she adds to a possibility of no response)




EK RIKAAMI BAAJU Marathi. Verbal 7 Jan 2010
Text allows you to take focus away from the body, actors don’t use entire body.
Proscenium
Pace slow, seems like actors are playing in real time vs performace time
Actors are very realistic, neat, clean, completely natural and comfortable. One actor in particular, is able to keep her body alive, toes are awake, fingertips awake.
Limited words seem to require you to use the space more. Here not much movement. Static.




THE SPIRITS PLAY Multilingual 8 Jan 2010
The set started at the entry to the auditorium. They have used every angle of the space. No empty space. White maple leaves and costumes enhanced the colored lights and cloaks.
Their sound executors were sitting on the two corners of the front of stage. Dressed in black and playing with their gadgets.
Almost individual performances by each actor. With their individual languages. But most of the audience (as I heard) lost the play as they were busy trying to read the superscript. And I ask (even after much discussion) what was the point of English superscript when the concept is multilingual.




JOHNNY’S MIDNIGHT GOOGLES 9 Jan 2010
I’m glued to his performance. With acknowledging that he is an actor about to perform he eases in and out of the performance and takes us with him.
His movements are limited as he is playing the cello, but he states that the sequel to this play has space for him to move, as he himself feels stagnant.
He voice allows him to play several different characters simultaneously, to sing, and to narrate – all while he sits and plays his cello. .
Brilliant




STRANGE LINES Amitesh Grover. 10 Jan 2010
The actors stand watching the audience enter.
A style of acting where actors are characters, yet simply individuals talking to each other, where you perhaps don’t require body to be vibrate, vibrating.
The use of space, using all the space without the entire body being awake. Their centres are stagnant. It makes the play of mind and technology.
Socially relevant, the first, I have seen to talk about today. Music is contemporary.
Their eyes are looking at us directly. They stand and look.




LIFE OF AN AUTOMOBILE German with superscript in English 12 Jan 2010
Here I am faced with another language dilemma, a text heavy play with superscript, but I can’t follow the text. I’m distracted – watch play or read words.
Psychological, physical, emotional trauma
War
Socialism
Stalin
There are no wings. No formal entries and exits.
The second half – an opposite experience
Clowns
Joke on society and social norms
Joke on modernity, globalization
On speaking to the actors, I was told how the set actually comes out of the stage while performing in Germany. That would change the experience completely.
The styles here – coincidence – the text heavy first half was stagnant. Not much movement by the actors. And the second half with actors being clowns was full of movement, the bodies were completely awake.
Clown costumes were brilliant with small details, and apparently chosen by the actors.




A DOLL’S HOUSE 16 Jan 2010 Nepali
I sit between 4 men
Nora is annoying but I can’t pin point why.
Mrs.Linde is well cast, she looks the part. But her white sari is too pure. Cliché. Her gestures are Nepali and true to the actor, not the character. Her eyes scan the audience.
Is Linde a simple character to play?
Nora is to chanchan, her clothes, her jewellery, the keychain, her shoes. Layering. Her voice has no modulation. But then what would I say if she cried and shrieked.
The audience is stuck, they can not leave the auditorium. I see people trying to find a way out.
All the comedy in the text is lost.
The ending was a great idea, but due to the seating arrangement and narrow exit way most of the audience were unable to see it.
This production was given a thumbs up by two professors, but I don’t see why.




HAMLET, THE CLOWN PRINCE English 18 Jan 2010
I’m wondering whether I am watching Indian actors. The caliber of acting is unlike any Indian company I have ever seen.
Singing operatic. Open voices. English diction is almost perfect. The French accent is not to clear, but she warmed up.
They asked the audience – what is your biggest to do or not to do – contemporary, daily life – to shave my legs or to wax my legs. To wake up or not to wake up.
The used the entire stage. They played the audience.
The text of hamlet when used in original form, made more sense here, in some places, than it did to me in a normal reading.




IN / OUT / IN Director Aditee Biswas 20 Jan 2010
Its like we are prying on an intimate life. We’re not supposed to be watching.
Underwater
Forest
Multilingual
The costumes I loved. Completely simply and an essence of old India, royal.
The playing with hair sequence was unusual and much enjoyable. And added to the intimacy.
The words were inaudible.
There were layers – in costume, in hair, in light, in set, and sound and movement
I can’t say I understood it but I enjoyed watching it.




THE LAST ANNAL OF ALAMGIR, KARNA AND AFTERMATH English 20 Jan 2010
Director Avaan Patel
A text heavy performance with static performance. I’m not sure what was going on. Tom introduced the second piece as a play to be watched but that was completely disconnected to the rest of the performance.
Scenarios from the Mahabharata, with contemporary characterizations.





Mention needed.
THE ORPHAN OF ZHAO
ECDYSIS: THE SNAKE SHEDS ITS SKIN
THE WOLF AND THE GOAT
QUICK DEATH
KIOSK
GARBO
ODYSSEUS CHAOTICUS
MEDEA (Italian)
WHEN I WAS A CHILD
BROKEN IMAGES
CHRONOTOPIA
UMRAO JAAN



We sit and discuss the plays we watch. We share our work. Share as an audience. Yet we are scared to give and not ready to listen to an honest feedback. And then why do I sit here and say nothing. Its not that by listening I am limited. I have received a lot of theatre wisdom by listening.
I just do not see much theatre making a difference. One play will of course take time to make a difference, but after we watch the play what do we do. Nothing. We walk out. Think. Speak. Listen. And nothing.
~ anjalika