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Play fest sans rivalry
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The spotlight was on theatre and loving it
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The Veterinary College put up an energetic Kannada play set against the backdrop of the Mahabharata — Photo: V. Sreenivasa Murthy
A COLLEGE fest is usually about stiff competition, prize money, and loads of fun. Adding some learning and scrapping the competition, the Dramatics Association of Mount Carmel College (MCC) organised a different theatre festival. Part of Cul-Ah! 2004, the event was non-competitive. From a substantial production grant for each team, play-talk with playwright Mahesh Dattani at the end, and made-to-order certificates (with comments from Dattani for each team), a unique theatre experience was offered to participants. The spotlight was on theatre and loving it.
"I agreed to be part of the play fest when I was told it was non-competitive," said Dattani, who believes that "a play works when the audience gets involved and stops judging". Competition takes the focus off the performance and on the trophy. "Each group should have (its) own space to present (its) creation," he felt.
Radha Ramaswamy, who heads the Dramatics Association, said: "We invited a few colleges to participate because we could not accommodate many colleges. We kept the festival open to all languages."
With competition out of the picture, the focus was on reaching the audience and wrapping them in the same state of awareness. "We came hoping to learn something about professional theatre," a participant from IIT, Chennai, said. Another IIT participant added: "Being so used to competing all the time, we feel more relaxed and can perform our play with complete concentration."
The festival offered a medley of emotions, many laughs and an insight into youth perceptions. Lines between the audience and performers dissolved and in more than one play, the actors were sitting among the audience. They spoke their lines with aplomb, sauntering on and off the stage. Confidence ran high, and props and pretensions were minimal. The performers hardly let the audience feel they were on the other side.
Shwetha Jagdish from MCC, sensitively portrayed two aging, spinster sisters, in all their loneliness and estrangement.
The Veterinary College put up an energetic Kannada play set against the backdrop of the Mahabharata. The live music, strong movements and authentic costumes kept the audience riveted. This anti-war play had dance and music woven in naturally.
IIT's adaptation of a Woody Allen play did not impress though it did draw laughs. All's Well That Ends was more of a spoof without any serious aspirations to comedy.
St Joseph's College of Arts and Science enacted Pablo Picasso's only ever written play. Though they put up an involved performance, the audience was left confused by the poetic and symbolic nature of the play.
A large group from R.V. College of Engineering presented an American play that also drew some laughs.
The highlight of the festival was the interactive session after the plays. Each group made a presentation on its objectives in performing their play, to which Dattani gave his feedback. The audience was also encouraged to take part in the discussion.
"Don't be defensive about yourself or your art," was Dattani's advice to the young actors. Theatre was loved, explored, understood and discussed at length. No one came out of MCC's theatre fest feeling crushed. They were winners all the way.
CHARUMATHI SUPRAJA
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