Comic Timing

The selection of plays,however,was a serious process. The four plays were picked up through the biggest-ever talent hunt by Thespo to celebrate 11 years of professional theatre by youth. Spread over eight cities of India,the hunt led to the screening of 90 plays. “All four plays are from different genres of comedy,” says Himanshu Sitlani,a member of Thespo 11’s screening panel.

While Institute of Pavtalogy is a satire in which courses are offered on violence,corruption and other social vices,Geli Ekvees Varsha is a dark comedy written by Dharmakirti Sumant about being 21 in the 21st century. Aalok Rajwade,who has directed the first play and co-directed the latter,says: “We didn’t deliberately plan to do two comedies. In any case,Geli Ekvees Varsha won’t invoke too much of laughter. Instead,it will make the audience think.” The double responsibility was not too much of a trouble for him. “But doing justice to Geli Ekvees Varsha’s script was a challenge,” says this 21-year-old theatre artiste from Pune,who has formed Natak Company with fellow theatre enthusiasts in college.

Asylum,directed by Biju Chandran,is another black comedy that will be staged during Thespo. This play by Keith Aisner is about Gary who has taught himself to control his dreams. But Gary’s mentally ill mother and other unexpected guests insist on crashing this alternate reality. “A year back,I came across this play. This is entertaining and thought-provoking at the same time,” says Chandran,who has been doing full-time theatre for the last two years. He has followed David Mamet’s method of acting in this play.

Unlike Rajwade and Chandran,Aakash Bhatia was clear about directing an out-an-out entertainer. “For me,entertainment means humour,” says the 20-year-old from Delhi. So Bhatia came up with an hour-long play Melange—which strings together five short scripts,each presenting a different flavour of comedy like slapstick,situational and subtle.

This year,Thespo goes much beyond the plays. Every afternoon,it will host workshops followed by live band performances. Film screenings and platform performances are on the schedule next. The evening will end with the staging of a play. On the final day,Vijaya Mehta will be presented the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Beyond the stage
Dec 7: Making Theatre with Young People (workshop); Prithvi Theatre; 4 pm
Dec 8: Hayavadana (Marathi film); Prithvi Theatre; 5:30 pm
Dec 9: Gigs by Froydn Slip,Belly Funk; Prithvi Theatre; 5:30 pm
Dec 10: Sampling Shakespeare,workshop by Jelena Bidimir; Prithvi Theatre; 1:30 pm
Dec 11: The Pirate’s Ship (Play); Prithvi Theatre; 11 pm
Dec 12: Hamidabai Ki Kothi (Hindi film); NCPA; 4 pm
Dec 13: Seven on Seven; Platform performance; NCPA; 4 pm