Lessons from drama

The two plays staged during a workshop organised by the Department of English, University of Madras, recently, proved that theatre is an effective medium of teaching and learning. PADMINI DEVARAJAN writes...

THE TREMENDOUS potential of the medium of drama came alive recently, when two presentations were made, one by the Madras Players and the other by students, as part of the three-day workshop on Literature, Culture and Translation, held by the Department of English, University of Madras. Both plays proved that theatre offers a challenging experience that helps to break down many barriers across centuries, countries and cultures. But more interestingly, it seemed to justify its presence in the curriculum as a practical art, giving students confidence, along with the ability to relate to life.

The veteran's touch glazed the Madras Players' presentation of excerpts from Girish Karnad's plays. This group, under Bhagirathi Narayan's resourceful direction, was sensitive to Karnad's grasp of the theatre that rests on the constant play of irony on the very fabric of human existence on which is superimposed the dramatic devices like character, dialogue or music and dance interludes.

The highlights of the performance could be located in the brief spells like the portrayal of Goddess Kali by a seasoned Vishalam Ekambaram who could easily weave some humour too into it. Equally savvy was Sushila Nataraj as Kurudavva in "Naga Mandala" that caught the predicamant of the imprisoned girl(Rani Menon). The selected excerpt from "Thuglak," showcased a microcosm of the perennial gap between the dreamer and the man of action with P.C. Ramakrishna and Karthik Narayan playing their roles to perfection.

Stage props might have been sparse, but the simple yet attractive costumes caught the audience's attention. Another thoughtful approach was the involvement of the audience as when Padmini in Hayavadana (Sriya Chari) emerges from the audience searching for Kapila and Devadatta. Even in Tale Danda which presents a conflict that is posed on the strength of dialogue alone, an intermingling of action helps to divest it of some tedium as when Bijjala(Paul Mathew) enters the stage with a lot of fanfare from amidst the audience.

Hyma Ramakrishna's full-throated musical interludes brought out the Kannada flavour, particularly through her clear enunciation. The complex tunes and undulating range filled not only the hall but also the imaginative crevices of the audience.

On the second day, the four-member stage crew comprising Geetanajli Sriram and Deepali Gupta of Stella Maris, and Nagaradhika and Revathi of the University of Madras, enacted "Box the Pony," a play that had already won rave reviews in Brisbane, London and other places.

It dramatises the real life trials of an Australian half white, half aboriginal woman, Leah Purcell who had helped Scott Rankin write her story. If the theme of the play rests on the interplay of the multi-layered dimensions of white aboriginal relationships, the subtle stream-of-consciousness narration helps to reveal its depth and richness. With a certain amount of unconventional approach to the dramatisation, Leah Purcell had played all the roles herself in the stagings. But here these four women took turns to play the different roles of boyfriend, mother, white woman and so on. Their neat and compact performance recreated the poignant life story of the protagonist. If the audience caught the nuanced verbal richness of the dialogue with imagery and symbol intact, the credit goes to the impeccable delivery by these young women. Very realistic were the pony rides, the tipsy mother, the chorus music, resonant utterances of "save me now," "I am tired" and "I want to go home." With her excellent expressions, Nagaradhika flitted with ease from joy to sorrow to sarcasm.

Neither the actors nor the director P.Rajani were diffident to challenge the original popularity and standard of the play. And they had succeeded in giving an identity to their interpretation. As a teacher, the director believes that drama appreciation has to be caught rather than taught. What better way for the students to understand and appreciate this medium through a presentation by students themselves?

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Section  : Entertainment