An outsider's insight into the workings of Theatre On Your Own
B.U.T.
Director in USA. But, Actors in Bengaluru. Devising of play, not face-to-face. But, Video chats through Laptop. Rehearsals done vigorously. But, by managing time zones of two countries. 25 shows of Binder in 2 years. But, Actors held on to Director’s vision. A play with many layers. But, a concept that moves audiences across age groups. Lights, Sound, Set, Costume, Marketing... But, Everything done on their own. This is, THEATRE ON YOUR OWN.
The 25th show of 'BINDER' is to happen three days from now. It’s 24th June,2018. Sarbajeet says, “I want atleast three rehearsals.” The actors Faria, Debanjana, Utkarsh, Nirlek, Nirakar, Manoj nod their heads with passion and grit. They’ve all gathered here running back from their jobs. They’ve decided to unanimously skip evening tea, dinner and have started the run through. Burning the midnight oil, on hungry stomachs, but you can't see it while they are performing, instead you see zeal in the musicians, the hunger in the eyes of the Director…can I still add an element, a newness. I wonder to myself, what keeps them so motivated? Is this passion or something far and beyond that? The cooker whistles.
It’s 26th June, 2018. During our chats, I gather the set of Binder has quite a story behind it. A true test of all the physics, chemistry, mechanics, mathematics, logic that one ever learnt in school was put to test, in the making of the beautiful hand-crafted set. Initially, the set was heavy, non flexible, took two hours to get it out, through the narrow hallways of the rehearsal space, carry it up through the steep squeezed for breath stairways upto the performance venue. Phew! Where it took another hour and a half to assemble the set. Phew again! All done by the actors, musicians, team members themselves. They’d get the set ready in the nick of the time, and get into their costumes and character in no time. From then to now, it has been conceptualized, designed, engineered and re-engineered, assembled and dissembled piece by piece. Such, that now, the huge set can be put in a potli and carried! The cooker whistles.
It's 27th June, 2018. A day prior to the show. The entire set has been dismantled and settled in the tempo. I’m late and the tempo is a few meters away so I run to catch it. I scoot in, afterwhich Ayaan and me have a long chat about his Himachal Pradesh escapades. The tempo ride made me nostalgic, reminding me of my childhood during the Ganpati Visarjan days back in Mumbai. The entire team reaches Atta Galata venue in Kormangala. Each piece of the set is carefully removed and carried upstairs. It’s all pipes, rods, rolled cloth bundles, thick painted cardboards, lights, barrels, props and god knows what… This is the first time, I’m seeing out of a potli, a set resurrected. Nuts and bolts tightened, pipes and rods put together, each part of the set fitted with such karigari. I see, the weathered set (paan-like spit from the actors mouth during a performance, they joke, “You didn’t spit enough!”), the seasoned architects (seamlessly working and doing their part of putting it all together), the entire team sweating it out, but together. Dinner is ready.
29th June, 2018
“We are using our craft to bring its essence to you... A bridge between subconscious and conscious is attempted here….I take full responsibility of the design or concept if it fails for you… I would love to talk to each one of you. My favourite artist once said, ‘As long as two people are talking, theatre is alive..- By Sarbajeet Das’” I read these words as I glance through this paper that I received the last time I saw the play BINDER. It’s the day of the performance. Early morning they rehearse a few scenes again. The last few details are being added to the set. The actors are getting ready. They are setting up their props. The musicians are setting up their ensemble of Djembe, drums, rainstick. They’re doing sound check. They’re setting up baithaks and chairs. I believe they will exhale now. Instead, they ask so how many registrations done? How many people are coming?
I can feel the intensity in the air. But, there’s a glimmer in their eyes. Yes, they don’t have a house full. But, they have a Happyfull House. I want to ask, what keeps you’ll going? But, I exhale.
