…and now I think I have some feel for what putting up a play (or in this case, an exercise) is all about.

Today, when I went to watch an in house performance, which may as well have been a public performance, I was shocked, moved, surprised and impressed by what I saw. One after another, short sequences with a repetitive script were rammed into the audience’s brains and we lapped it all up. You know why? … Because the actors were so damn good. That’s why!

Right from the sutradhar, each actor in every sequence, kept the audience watching with rapt admiration. One could wonder, “Why so much praise for a group of amateur, sprinkled with seasoned actors”? Yes, there will always be better actors and better plays, but this was a group that is on the path of learning and yet had bravely put up a performance, that they found out at the last hour was going to be graded and also stood in the line of fire to take “constructive criticism”, as Ratan insists, from a group on feotal actors of a junior batch!

Today it was re-established that a script is only a part of what is important in a play. It is the doing, the faith and the understanding of an actor that makes a performance what it really is. It also left us, the great and usually dismissive audience, with no where to hide. We were also put to test along with the actors where we learnt to appreciate them for the potential that they put across and credit them with the applause they so rightfully deserved. Ratan also wouldn’t settle for lukewarm claps. He insisted that we give the actors points for improvement alongside [and then probably regretted it  ] ! We had no excuse for being dismissive or giving thoughtless feedback.

Now, like every wonderful individual’s personality is enhanced by good clothing and a pleasing presence, a good actor’s performance gets enhanced by way of lighting, costumes, sound and stage. As we reluctantly wrapped our precious feedback session, I told the Drama Queen of our L1 Batch #25 “ Can you believe this is the same space where we do our regular screaming, shouting, crying, laughing, begging, etc.? It looks to beautiful!” An unassuming space (thanks Sachin) like our theatre workshop on the top of a random building became a beautiful stage with super lights and fancy shiny wings. Regular clothes used correctly became interesting costumes and the loud & clear voices, accompanied by frequent clapping became live music. It was an evening well spent.

As actors/artists/performers, we look for that little extra limelight than any other individual that walks the earth. We also ‘humbly’ bask in the glory of that well deserved praise. But to stand in front of an audience that has been enthralled by a co-actor’s performance and kind… of… missed yours, and STILL smile and feel proud for the group takes a large heart and great self assurance. I was especially moved by such humility that a few of the actors showed this evening. This, I guess, is what makes one unique and remembered, for the lesson learnt through them even after a forgotten performance.

Speaking of unique and remembered; like one of the many important ‘non acting things’ that Ratan says (and is the fodder for my soul too) is, “If you want to be a good actor, you have to learn how to care”. I was faced with a situation where, after a lovely Sunday evening, my car wouldn’t work and I was sort of feeling stranded and two people from the MisFit community (as I have decided to call this) came to help me out. I don’t know if both of them, Apoorva and Praveen, are actors or not, but if they are, they must be pretty damn good.

Ratan, I realized today, that apart from being a Googled, Wikipediaed, Newspapered and generally superbly famous actor, has most definitely worked hard through his life to have this mesh of people who love him and his work around him. This love that I have observed and tried to understand over the last few weeks is not something that is conjured up and bordering on some blind trend, it stems from respect. Respect for what he says, for what he has achieved and for what he inspires others to do.

His interest, I know, stays firmly in theatre.

And now I understand why My Interest Stays Firmly In Theatre.

-Anumeha, 21st May 2012 – written post midnight, because I just had to say it while it still came from the heart and had not been “intelectuallized” by my over active brain.