By: Pooja Elangbam
In today’s world of instant products from instant food to instant messaging, even the forms of entertainment have transformed to PVRs where movies are churned out in prolific quantities; needless to say that hardly any of them make a hard enough impression which might say in people’s mind for more than a week. So, many of us end up wondering if such a painstaking and time consuming art form of the “old world”, that is, the theatre would survive into the 21st century.
My tryst with theatre began a year ago when the renowned theatre artist, Ratna Pathak Shah came to Welham (my school) to direct a theatre production and in the process, generate interest in the theatre among school children. A theatre troupe which included Naseeruddin Shah and Ratna Pathak Shah herself performed the play, “Antigone” which aroused a great deal of interest in children who had previously been reluctant to sit through the performance before it commenced. Ratna Pathak Shah went on to direct a musical based on a Gujarat folktale for Welhamites which caused a marked furor with a great number of students auditioning for the roles and the excellence which was pursued relentlessly during the practice sessions which more often than not, took up the entire time after classes.
Another theatre landmark came in the form of Shakespeare in Schools project, initiated by a group of theatre artists trying to make Shakespeare more interesting for students through the medium of theatre. The Wide Aisle Production presented a 90 minute performance which comprised of two plays, Macbeth and Midsummer Night Dream. The original texts of the plays remain untouched, though the plays are shortened to fit the structure. However, it is ensured that students have a complete narrative to follow. The performance had ten to seventeen year olds jumping with glee as Puck (in A Midsummer Night’s Dream) rose to life in front of their eyes, joining in the chorus of the songs introducing the plays and, howling and cackling with ominous laughter with the three witches in Macbeth. Lady Macbeth’s hysteria, when she found herself unable to wash the blood stain from her hands, left Hannah Montana fans to Gossip Girls ardent watches assimilating and later discussing the effect of guilt on the human mind. It is no wonder that I couldn’t help but be drawn to the realm of theatre where characters so long envisioned comes to life yet done with so much of effort that it seems effortless and so much so that I was left sighing, “If only I could be on stage with them and enjoy!” Even more surprising was the fact that two of the five actors where still in university and they were actively pursuing their interest in theatre during their holidays.
Recently, I got the privilege to attend the Nupi lal function in Manipur Dance Academy. The conclusion of the function was a ballet performance to highlight the plight as well as the achievement of the women of Manipur through the ages. It juxtaposed the modern Manipuri woman who has embraced the integration of Manipur into mainland India, thinks in English, sways to western music and hopes to work in the USA, the Manipuri woman who has been driven by desperation and prosecution to take up arms and, the Manipuri woman who sticks to her roots and culture, suspicious of the blurring in the distinct culture and heritage of Manipur. By means of countenance, dramatic background music and brilliantly choreographed dance, it went on distinguish between these avatars of Manipuri women and the audience is moved not to condemn but empathize with each one of them. A power-packed performance of the women, by the women and for the women was a fitting salute to the Manipur woman of substance.
The telling of a story through song and dance which has also been the most primitive form of entertainment and awareness, does indeed, without doubt, retains it effectiveness. The lights, sound, acting, direction and most importantly, the significance of the theme was deserving of high praise. I wasn’t surprised to see various members of the audience with tremulous eyes and a slight bittersweet countenance and I found myself applauding yet knowing that no amount of clapping would be able to express the overwhelming nature of the breathtaking performance. Manipur theatre has indeed come a long way!
Concluding on a lighter note, someone once said, “If all the world’s a stage, where is the audience?”