The message is...tell the truth
ROMESH CHANDER
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Youth Theatre got a new dash of life in the Capital this past week.
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SOME NOVELTY A scene from Ariel Dorfman's "Reader" adapted and staged by Wide Aisle Productions and Youth Parliament at IHC.
University Theatre in Delhi has been active in three-four colleges for a pretty long time and has a history of its own; but its activities have been confined to just about one or two major productions a year. After leaving college most of the young theatre enthusiasts find it difficult to join the better known theatre groups in Delhi for different reasons; but primarily because as some of the budding actors/directors opine: "The attitude of seniors is often outright hostile. They are perhaps afraid of being overshadowed and so there is no chance of getting a meaty role for years.What Delhi theatre at the moment needs most is Youth Theatre - a theatre by and for the youth." (To give a shape to their idea of Youth Theatre, a few months back agroup set up Wide Aisle Productions that last week opened its first theatre season with Ariel Dorfman's "Reader" staged at the India Habitat Centre.
First, something about Wide Aisle Productions which is founded by Aniruddh Nair and Nilanjan Bose. To quote Nair, the group is "A forum for all those who are passionate about the medium of theatre. Whether enriching experience that is drama, the youth demands a clean creative space of their own. Thus, we seek to provide opportunities to those searching for an artistic outlet, involving them in a variety of capacities, be it on or off the stage. Perhaps the most rewarding aspect of such a venture is knowing that each production wholly belongs to those people who strive to bring it before an audience. Every facet of the endeavour is conceptualised, crystallised and executed by a cast and crew comprising youth who may be college students or otherwise."
"We work closely with the Youth Parliament and in our working structure, they are responsible for administration, publicity, sponsorship and finances etc.," they add.
Ariel Dorfman's "Reader" as presented by Wide Aisle Productions and the Youth Parliament is billed as an adaptation. But in reality the so-called adaptation is no more than the change in locations and the names of characters to make it identifiable for an Indian audience with hardly and changes in the text.
Past not perfect
Briefly, in the play directed by Aniruddh Nair opens with Dr. Ronojoy Sen talking with his secretary and beloved , Madhuri. He is also a editing a book that seems to be based on his own life. He is scared that his son, Deep, has found out about his hidden past. Ronojoy has pretended to the authorities that his wife Tanya has died. The book makes him afraid that Deep knows what happened, and is either writing about it or has told someone. The scene changes to the Bombay film world, in which Avinash Nathan is reading the script aloud in which he, his secretary Juhi, his son Nikhil and his "dead" wife Sonia, all bear a resemblance to the characters in the film. Avinash is so perturbed by the script that he wants to ban it from being filmed. As the story progress, Avinash becomes increasingly haunted by his past, and is increasingly afraid for his son. He keeps encountering a man, who represents all his fears. The lines between his identity and reality begin to blur. He decides to go in search of Dev Malik, the scriptwriter, to find how the story ends.
The second act of the play starts in Dev Malik's house. Dev's wife looks exactly like Avinash's dead wife, Sonia and she shares her name with her as well . Sonia and Dev are writing the script together. Avinash tries to persuade Dev to give the film a happy ending, but Dev refuses.
After this the play flits back and forth between Dev and Sonia, who are writing the story, Ronojoy and Madhuri, and Avinash and Juhi, with the director trying to obtain his desired ending or to prevent its release. As the three stories merge into one, Avinash becomes conscious of the follies of his life and decides to release the book. He finds his son Nikhil to say goodbye, but asks him to tell his story. The cast, most of whom are still studying in different colleges, plays to split second timing and project their roles with a perfect understanding. If the audiences' reaction is any indication the play must be kept alive and must be seen by youth and others.
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