The 39 Steps

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Yesterday an old friend of mine sponsored tickets for Evam's new production "The 39 steps". HAving already seen their play "Art" I was keen on seeing how Evam's 39 steps would turn out. There was advertising aplenty, 4 actors bringing out 140 characters on stage, Hitchcock is Hilarious on stage. So lets see what transpired.


Picture courtesy copyright @EVAM

1) Details of the play

• Name: The 39 Steps


• Production House: EVAM with Radaan


• Directed By: Bhargav


• Star Cast: TMK,Sunil, Naveen and Renu


• Written by: Original Story John Bucan


• Origins: Adapted from Alfred Hitchcock's movie and a broadway show


• Misc Technical Data: Love, action, chases, assasinations, the works


• Cost of Ticket: Rs 200


• Where I watched the play: RangaShankara


• When I watched the play: 10-Apr-2011

2) History:
The production team at Evam went ahead and watched this play at broadway and decided to approach the copyright owners about making this into a play in India. After obtaining the rights and spending 3 months on the pre-production activites Evam have come up with a winner on their hands


3) Synopsis
Richard a Canadian happens to be visiting Britain. He happens to go to a show during the course of which gunshots are fired. In the ensuing pandemonium Richard helps Ms Schmidt and he then brings her to his house. After getting to know each other, Ms Schmidt explains that there is a threat to her life from spies from another country. She mentions to Richard about the leader of the double-agents, she mentions that he does not have a little finger in his hand. Ms Schmidt is murdered during the course of the night and the murder is framed on poor Richard.

Richard escapes from the police and travels to Scotland seeking the leader of the spy network, he is shot at, he is cuffed, he is lonely, he is threatned, he is over powered. There is lie, deceit, betrayal and eventually love, But can Richard survive? Can Richard prove to the police that he is framed for murder? What is the mystery of the 39 steps?

Watch this drama to know more.


4) Remarks
One word for the way Evam have adapted this on Stage..FANTASTIC. This is how an adaptation of a movie should be staged. For me the benchmark has been set, my future movie adaptations will be against this.
Let me list the strengths:

Imaginative use of props
A collection of not less than 50 lights covering every part of the stage
The Train sequence...Bringing an actual train depiction on stage
The train bogie chase sequence fantastic
TMK as Mr Memory....Superb
4 people in 65 characters...Imaginative, very imaginative.


5) My Rating

I rate this as:


4 Star's : What are you waiting for !!!! Go watch it NOW.





Inthi,
Manuswath

Review of Dharma Stambha

World Theatre Day is on the 27th of March and I decided to catch up on a play for sure. Presto! I was at K.H.Kala Soudha in Hanumanthanagar on Sunday to watch the staging of Antharanga's new play DharmaSthambha.

1) Details of the play

• Name: DharmaStambha


• Production House: Antharanga


• Directed By: Archana Shyam


• Star Cast: Ramprasad, Vijay Jois


• Written by: Original Story K.S.Ganeshaiah, Adapted by N.C.Mahesh


• Origins: A historical tale depicting a radical take on how Ashoka is introduced to Buddhisim


• Misc Technical Data: Includes a neatly choreographed song and dance routines


• Cost of Ticket: Rs 70


• Where I watched the play: K.H.Kala Soudha


• When I watched the play: 27-Mar-2011

2) History:
The second directorial venture of Archana Shyam, a young woman drama director. Both her plays are spanning across time and dive into the treasure troves of Indian history.


3) Synopsis
A historian is invited to Sanchi by a young history teacher. The history teacher would like to showcase some of the actual happenings that happened that have not been chronicled as part of our history lessons that have been passed over to today's generation over time. This young history teacher likens herself to a post-mortem surgeon who performs authencity checks on the actual events that occurred in history. One such situation is explained to us on stage.

Ashoka in his younger days was appointed to head a territory that was under the rule of his father King Bindusara, During the course of his rule, he falls head over heels in love with a lady of high-origin, It is with her contact that Ashoka is introduced to Buddhisim and from where the roots of the spreading og Buddhism take place.
The scene shifts to the site of a Buddhist monastry where in the Mahipal tries to curb the growing lure of "Gruhastashrama" or the lure of family life, in his younger disciples, but success aludes him in this effort.

Does the Mahipal have a secret to hide? What happens to the Mahipal when he discovers his losing influence over the younger buddhists monks? What happens to Ashoka when he learns about the simmerring rebelion in the Buddhist ranks? What course does history take?

Watch this drama to know more.


4) Remarks
Kudo's to the Director Archana Shyam for taking up such a subject and getting the best out of an impressive crew. I must applaud her for showcasing such a radical view on Buddhism and for pulling the controversial rabbit out of the hat.

Ramprasad as Ashoka, showcases "Krodha" one of the Navarasa's in a very apt manner, his fiery eyes play their part as well. The Mahipal is the best actor in the whole bunch of actors playing Buddhist monks. I really liked the way the same actors have portrayed different roles with subtle costume changes as well.

The history teacher seems to be a very apt disciple of Archana Shyam, I see the same movements and expressions and I also hear the same voice modulations that Archana does in the way the History Teacher enacts.

The props used in the play: the famed Ashoka Pillar, a tank bund and the various buddhist signages are simple yet effective.

Thoughts that have lingered in my mind are as follows:
-- The artists must pay attention to their props, and not let them go to the ground in a thud
-- When will the audience realize that they should keep quiet during the performance and not keep asking the people who have viewed the drama more than once about what is going to happen?
-- When will the audience who have seen the drama more than once keep quiet and not spill what will happen next in such a loud manner so that the suspense is broken to all the rows?
-- If buddhist monks are poor, All that they have are mud plates'n'bowls and wooden tools, but yet server water in a "Tamarada" copper bowl?
-- The American Psychological Association(www.apa.org) in a study have mentioned that Buddhist monks have long been admired for their emotional control, most of the actors get their expressions spot on in this aspect, however there is an eager beaver in the list of young monks, who according to me needs fine tuning. (I might be completely wrong here)


5) My Rating

I rate this as:

3 Star's : Watch it for sure.





Inthi,
Manuswath

Review of Gumma Banda Gumma

As part of an invite from the Dignity Foundation I had the pleasure of watching a live performance of the Play "Gumma Banda Gumma" this past Saturday. I was involved in watching the 100th Staging of this play at RangaShankara, I have to mention I watched the staging of this play with atleast 50 to 100 children from a school. Here is the review of the play.

1) Details of the play

• Name: Gumma Banda Gumma


• Production House: AHA! Productions


• Directed By: Vibhavari Deshpande Co Directed by Padmavati Rao


• Star Cast: Raaghu Sirsi, Vidya


• Written by: S.Surendranath


• Origins: The need of having a play just for kids, and the workshop undertaken by Rangashankara


• Misc Technical Data: 98 minutes of play, includes song and dance by the main leads


• Cost of Ticket: Free for me, thanks to Dignity Foundation


• Where I watched the play: Ranga Shankara


• When I watched the play: 19-Mar-2011

2) History:
The management team at RangaShankara observing the dearth of plays that are specific for the children in the age group 5 to 15 decided to take up a camp wherein children are whetted with a workshop on Drama. The outcome of one such workshop is the Drama "Gumma Banda Gumma", The play written by S.Surendranath appeals to kids immensely. The Delight that the kids had while watching this play and the sounds of the peals of laughter from the audience is something worth mentioning about. I was happy that I was able to watch the 100th Staging of this drama.

3) Synopsis
Putta lives in a house with his Mother (called "Amma" thorughout the play) and his litte Sister Munni, they are the quintessential modern day children, they like to sit and while away time at home while watching "Chota Bheem" on TV, Putta likes playing around with Guns but he does not have a toy pistol at home, he keeps sulking for a toy pistol but in vain. Amma implores them to go out and play outside in the park that is nearby. On one such visit to the park they happen to bump into Gunda, Gunda a kid from the lower strata of society, basically does nothing but lord over portions of the park. After a bout of jostling for space the three become friends, Putta and Gunda first form a bond between them. Boys being boys Putta exchanges his cycle with a toy pistol that Gunda has, Slowly Munni becomes party to their frolicking games.
A sudden mishap ends up in Putta helping Gunda monetarily and ends up getting caught at home.

Do the friends triumph in hurdling over the hurdle that money typically brings into friendship? Does Gunda's father understand the fragilities of childhood? Watch the drama on Stage live to find out.

4) Remarks
The initial few minutes that comprises a monologue from Putta seems a tad slow, But the pace immediately picks up as soon as Munni(Vidya in a fantastic entry that she sustains until the very end) enters the fray, But for me it was the entry of Gunda (conveyed superbly by Raaghu Sirsi, an actor who's origins can be traced to Ninasam) that sent the drama into a high.

The props used in the play were very intelligently used and is apt, all areas of the stage are covered comfortably by the trio (Putta, Munni and Gunda). This play conveys the essentials of childhood without resorting to heavy cosmetic makeup that I thought would be in a title named "Gumma Banda Gumma".

2 thoughts that have lingered in my mind are as follows:
Could there have been a younger Putta and Munni?
In what other way could the drama have ended?


5) My Rating

I rate this as:

3 Star's : Watch it for sure.





Inthi,
Manuswath

Reviews of Drama's held at Bangalore : A basic introduction to my reviews

This blog is a place where in I post online review's of the various play's that I intend going, viewing and reviewing. At the onset I will like to set out the format of my Review Blogs of the Plays that I have seen.

1) Details of the play

• Name:


• Production House:


• Directed By:


• Star Cast:


• Written by:


• Origins:


• Misc Technical Data:


• Cost of Ticket:


• Where I watched the play:


• When I watched the play:

2) History: A brief upon the history of this play. This is gathered from various sources or else this bit of information is typically got from the performing troupe.

3) Synopsis In this bit, I present to you my reader the synopsis of the play. I try to keep things simple. The reader is informed that this synopsis does not reveal the ending.

4) Remarks In this section, I try to present my views of the play. I mention at the forefront that I am not an expert, It is only due to the long time association with theatre that I provide my remarks, I hope these remarks(both positive and negative if any) are taken into account by the performing troupe. I have learnt a lot from listening and observing my Guru's, (Madhav Rao Sir, Uncle Shyam, Dr B.V.Rajaram and Ritwik Simha) and I hope I can keep on learning the intricacies of the art. I welcome comments.

5) My Rating This is my Rating system

• No Star : Avoid at all circumstances.


• 1 Star : Troupe needs more focus and pratice.


• 2 Star's : A very good attempt.


• 3 Star's : Watch it for sure.


• 4 Star's : What are you waiting for go watch it now.


• 5 Star's : Your life is missing a vital organ...You need to watch this play.

Here is wishing that you my reader go through this blog post and hope you do to the theatre and watch this play live.

Inthi,
Manuswath