The world is indeed the stage. We have the authority, the alibi of the great Bard to authenticate this truism. Not only in exam answer sheets but even on the actual stage, all of us would love to follow the path he details.
Yes, each one of us would like to don the grease paint. But we all know the selection process at the school level! Most all great, celebrated actors were denied any stage presence by their respective schools. How can my school be an exception to this universally accepted truth?
At the college level, there are cliques, dominating even the practice hall. Less said about such grandees, the better! And yet in my stints as a lecturer at the BMCC, the SNDT, the SP and the P.G.Wing, Gholap college, I had wonderful opportunities at this creative and fulfilling passion. More about each one of these, some other time.
Since it is the World Theater Day today, let me right now talk of the street play I wrote, directed, enacted in at the CIEFL. The theme was the ills that dog the educational system. To make it a complete critique within some forty five minutes, I chose the format of scenes depicting typical systemic ills, strung together through a chorus.
To make the street play truly full of punches, I used many parodies of famous Bollywood songs. As it was a very democratic, open attempt, during the practice, we all fine tuned the parodies, added a few more, and so on. When our troupe of committed but amateur actors used to practice under the canopy of the huge tree right in front of the academic building, the monkeys in the branches above would chatter if the voice rose a little too high pitched.
As it was a street play, our costumes ,we could assemble them from our own personal clothes. Instead of elaborate drapery, I came up with the idea of pungent placards. We worked on these most creatively. Oh, yes, the Office Superintendent called me aside to convey the Registrar's message that nothing be objectionable. I suppose, a sweet smile a la mysterious Madame Mona Lisa is the best antidote to such censoring!
It was all word of mouth publicity. Yet there was a sizable audience; in fact, it was full forum. As the theme was so close to everyone's heart, we got a very enthusiastic response, too. Immediately after the performance, in the institute Mess, I was congratulated by even the floating population of students who were there for short term courses. A pan Indian appreciation it was, given the institute profile. The usual chatterati, the dear 'dahlings', too, could not help but say good things, even behind the back!
As I was basking in this glory in my own mind, a surprise was awaiting me in the wings, so to say. The next morning, Prof Amrutavalli, who was not exactly very fond of me; in fact, I was not even a regular student of Linguistics, called me. I was a little worried and nervous as I had often seen her enact the Vesuvius.
Surprise of surprises, she asked me to submit the script which she said she would preserve. As the Head of the RTV (Radio and T.V.) Department, she said she wanted us to perform yet again, and it would get recorded.
Well, I do not exactly know why/how the posterity is never going to enjoy that great recording, but the perfect script is still with me in multiple copies.
Yes, dear Will, the wor(l)d is indeed a stage. Here is a debut director, dramaturge and a debutante actor bowing down to your infinite wisdom as ever!
Pratima @ "suit the action to the word/the word to the action" to hold the mirror up to nature as Hamlet would advise. You indeed said it, dear Shakespeare!
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