When Every Drop Counts

“Ohta was a nine-year-old Japanese boy,born in China when the Japanese were occupying that country. In the early 20th century,the Chinese forces regained control of their territory,and all Japanese people were asked to leave. Long queues of men,women and children began the march to Tianjin port of China to board a ship back home. In the queue was Ohta,” says Venkateswaran,adding,“It was a 90-day-long walk,with people clutching on to their belongings.”

A barren landscape,littered with things that once were dear to its owners is one of the most powerful scenes of The Water Station. The play,that was staged in Delhi on Saturday as part of the 14th Bharat Rang Mahotsav,unfolded in near-silence over two-and-a-half hours,with the only constant sound being a leaking tap. Like sound,even movements were minimalised.

The storyline comprises mainly one action — a series of people walking through the stage. They move at snail’s pace — a distance of two metres is covered in 10 minutes as every gesture and action is stretched.

“On reaching the tap,the characters express every range of emotion — pain,anger,love,joy,sadness,death and birth. It is all about human behavior and progression of life from birth to death,” says the director.

The characters have no names — they’re called Girl,Man 1,Man 2,Old Woman,Husband and Wife. “It could be any of us,names are not important,” says the director. Only one character doesn’t move on,he lives in a heap of junk,a witness to all that happens near the water tap.

Ohta first presented this play in 1981,and since then,The Water Station has intrigued theatre directors and actors across the world. Girish Karnad called the play,“the most beautiful thing I have seen in Bangalore in years.” Venkateswaran,meanwhile,had just has one piece of advice for the audience,“Come with an uncluttered mind,no preconceived notions and an open heart.”