Making acquaintance

“The emphasis is on understanding nature through powerfully felt human emotions and relationships and thereby to foster a sense of responsibility towards nature,” explains theatre artist Lokesh Jain who has been organising these workshops for three years now.

As the final script is evolved in the process of the workshop,it turns out to be a learning experience for both the directors and the children.

Brought up in the vibrant culture of old Delhi mohallas and a professed ‘disciple’ of Urdu short storywriter Saadat Hasan Manto,Jain chose Hindi as the language of his plays to ensure that it reaches the people. Participants include children from the elite Delhi schools as well as street children.

Free-hand exercises,theatre games,followed by rehearsals are all part of a three-day-long workshop. Participants are always encouraged to pitch in with innovative ideas on dialogues,stagecraft and improvisation of scenes. So,for instance,10-year-old Kachnar Bhardwaj has incorporated her poems into the script. Ananya Jagoorie,about the same age,has discovered her penchant for thinking up suitable lyrics for the songs in the play. For Sumit,a child with special needs,the workshop is an exercise in instilling self-confidence. For others,the experience brings them closer to children from different social groups. As Shiney,a student of Springdales School,says,“One gets to know the world outside school better.”