Time for Metamorphosis
ROMESH CHANDER
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The theme of Franz Kafka's celebrated novel "Metamorphosis" finds expression in Rajesh Singh's play at NSD.
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SOME CHANGE A scene from "Metamorphosis"
For the last two or three weeks we have been seeing some final year diploma productions of the National School of Drama. "Metamorphosis", designed and directed by Rajesh Singh that was on the boards at Abhimanch this past week, is among the best diploma productions one has seen in the last few years.
Rajesh Singh's presentation of "Metamorphosis" is primarily based on Amitabh Srivastava's Hindi translation of Steven Berkoff's English translation of Kafka's story, to which the director has added a few more characters representing, as it were, the common people. But the most significant new addition is Gregor's extension to three different actors to underline the different characteristics of Kafka's Gregor.
As we settle down and look around we see a number of murals on the side walls reflecting life around us as experienced in "Metamorphosis". Briefly, the play is about human aspects brought home to us through our protagonist Gregor, his mother, father, sister and three lodgers looking for accommodation. As the play opens, the family tells us that one day Gregor woke from uneasy dreams and found himself transformed into a gigantic insect with many thin legs. The light changes and the father, mother and the sister tell us what Gregor meant to each one of them.
Huge insect
As we go along, Gregor has turned into a huge insect and the only person who really looks after him and cleans and sweeps his room is his sister, Greta. There are some very touching scenes between the insect Gregor and the sister, as also some very angry scenes when the mother and sister are shifting some furniture so that he can move about freely. There is some argument and Gregor's fear increases. He objects to the desk being shifted. "Leave it, I need to hide under it. You are turning my room into a naked den. If you empty my room I will forget who I am, I will lose all recollections and will become what I am... .. No, no, it must not happen." Gregor tries to attack them and meanwhile father has entered the room and tries to hurt Gregor. A powerful scene beautifully played by all the four on the stage.
The playwright, perhaps to change the mood, brings in three lodgers. They like the place and all goes well till dinnertime, when from Gregor's room they hear noises of crunching teeth as he chews food. The lodgers protest and ask if in future their and the pet's dinnertime could be staggered. Meanwhile, Greta has gone upstairs to her room and we hear her play the violin. The three guests are happy and excited till they see Gregor... "What is this?" they shout. "Please do not be disturbed. My apologies. It will not happen again. Someone must have left the door open," says the father.
Touching scene
The lodgers decide to leave. Greta stands weeping looking at Gregor. She is now looking a little different; aged and determined and as she walks away from Gregor, she quietly says, "we must get rid of it... I won't say my brother's name in the presence of this creature, so all I say, get rid of it. I don't think anyone would blame us for it." A very tense and touching scene.
Rajesh Singh's overall production design is very sensitive, and to heighten the impact or comment on the situation he, at places, uses songs written and composed by him. The purpose is beautifully served.
Splitting Gregor into three persons works well and the cast as a whole gives a well-coordinated performance in which Madhu Smiriti Shukla in the mother's role shines. The three Gregors have an almost equal number of lines, but Amit Saxena as the crawling insect along with the mother carries the play. Over the last two years or so one has seen Madhu in different roles and she has developed into a fine actress and her mother is a well-deserved crowning role. The daughter Greta (Laxmi Rawat) has a very taxing role that she lives well, particularly towards the end. Vishwanath Chatterjee as the father in the beginning starts as what may seem as typecast, but gradually he comes into his own and gives a balanced performance. On the whole, this critic would consider director Rajesh Singh and his presentation of "Metamorphosis" one of the best final year drama presentations that NSD has given us.
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