Sorely lacking in pep
KAUSALYA SANTHANAM
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Dedicated to the late G. Krishnamurthy, Theatre Lab's offering was lacklustre.
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PHOTO: S. THANTHONI
VALIANT EFFORT: Scene from `The Last Five Seconds of Mahatma Gandhi.'
To kindle the Gandhi in each of us into positive action," said the blurb. The play, "The Last Five Seconds of Mahatma Gandhi," by Walter Erich Schaefer was written in 1949 as a radio play and narrates the final imaginary moments in the Mahatma's life as the personified bullet slowly finds its mark. The elements of earth, fire and water which make up the human body, ask the Mahatma to resist the bullet and live.
Like the tempters of Thomas Beckett in Eliot's "Murder in the Cathedral," they remind the Mahatma of his greatness and fame. They persist in their arguments despite his repeated requests to leave him alone to find peace and acceptance.
The play translated into Tamil from German by the late G. Krishnamurthy was presented as a tribute to him by Theatre Lab at the Alliance Francaise's Top Storey.
Scenes of grief
As the Mahatma leaves his mortal coils and his spirit rises heavenward, he witnesses scenes of the grieving crowds at his funeral. He leaves behind his legacy of non - violence to a world ridden by strife and suffering.
Though a valiant effort was made, the play directed by Ch. Jayarao was not the best vehicle for Theatre Lab to celebrate its anniversary. A dull introduction set the tone for the evening. The dedication to Krishnamurthy and the salute to Jean Pascal Elbaz for his substantial role in encouraging Tamil theatre could have had more pep. Though Tamilachi made an emotional narrator, Veera who played the Mahatma began the first five minutes of his role in the most melodramatic way. His muscular frame made suspension of disbelief almost impossible. The bullet's (Platto Sharath) movements were in the typical early Koothu-p-pattarai style.
The elements (Chithrasenan, Nanthamil nangai and Aruwin) too played their part with laboured precision, the woman's voice being very shrill. The inner voice that calls out to the Mahatma was Srijith's.
Of late it seems to have become mandatory for most Tamil parallel theatre offerings to bring in the themes of dislocation and exile. Paadini produces a whole body of work on the theme and hence it becomes integral to their work. But often in other plays, it appears to be just thrust in.
The theme of assassination applied most to the enunciation of the words. "Vaalkai"(Vaghkai) and "Keelnoki (Kizhnoki) Paar" fell like bullets on the ear. Theatre Lab must first test its actors in dialogue delivery and pronunciation before presenting the final product.
One was reminded of a much better production some years ago. But then it had Na. Muthuswamy's expert direction; the lead actor Jayakumar too was able to carry off the role much better. Jayarao rose to the challenge of Na. Muthuswamy's "Appavum Pillaiyum" some months ago. But here? The five seconds seemed much longer.
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