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Midsummer starlight
Photo: Shanker Chakravarty
impressive A scene from the play, “Mid Summer Night Dream”
The play was over, the participants lined up on stage and the audience clapping happily. Director Jalabala Vaidya had introduced the actors, all school children, and it was time for the evening to wind up. But there was one more piece of action ̵
2; one which even the director was not expecting. A few of the young actors suddenly announced a song in honour of “Jalabala Ma’am and Gopal Sharman Sir.”
Off they started with “Papa Kehte Hain”, accompanying themselves on the guitar. It was a rare moment, touching in a way honed professionals can only aspire to be. One of the significant features of this performance of Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” by the Diksha Students of the Akshara Theatre, run by veteran theatre personalities Jalabala and Sharman, was the integration of students from Delhi’s privileged public schools and the NGO Deepalaya. And the song was the idea of the Deepalaya boys, top secret till they started singing.
For many of the participants, speaking English was an achievement in itself, and this was Shakespeare! While the complete play could not be done, the director noted that she had merely edited it, not changed it materially to suit the performance. And, she said, the children did understand it in their own way. Besides, she pointed out, “I told the children we are doing this play for its beauty.”
With Greek background music provided courtesy the Greek Tourist Office, the play also featured original music for the fairies’ lullaby by the multifaceted Sharman, and choreography by Parul Mishra, who teaches Kathak at Akshara.
With costumes and technical effects arranged in-house — the donkey’s head and Titania’s Grecian style crown of flowers were the pick of the lot — it has been a busy year for the Diksha students and their teachers, who meet twice a week at Akshara for activities like music, Kathak, painting and acting. The age of the participants varied between four and 16.
Now, with summer vacation due to start soon, Akshara has announced its summer workshop, starting May 19. This one is more intensive, five days a week from 10 a.m. to 1.30 p.m. Forms are available at Akshara theatre, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. For information, call 23742083 or 9313994368.
ANJANA RAJAN
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