Heroes 2013: Theatre takes centre stage

Do I look like a person who sells tickets for black?” guffawed veteran theatre-person Om Katare whose group Yatri was preparing for its week-long festival in January. “There was a time when we would chase people with complimentary passes and yet the theatre would go empty, especially if you were doing anything remotely abstract which required application of the mind. Now even expensive season tickets get sold the moment a festival is announced. A top corporate executive actually asked if he could pay ‘extra’ to lay his hand on two tickets when told they were all sold.”

This is not an isolated instance. Whether in Mumbai or Delhi, or whether it’s Hindi, English, Marathi or Gujarati language theatre that you’re speaking of, more and more people are choosing to spend time watching theatre. Veteran actor Sarita Joshi, whose mono-act Sakhubai gets sold out within hours of the board coming up outside the theatre, says, “Dumbed down entertainment which will give you a few laughs is fine but people want to see stuff which’ll make them think and relate to. That’s what is bringing people back to theatres in hordes.”

So is this resurgence drawing names from the big and small screens to the stage, or is their arrival bringing in more fans who want to see their favourites up close? “It works both ways. Today if I do a play, people will still wonder whose play it is and what’s the theme before deciding to watch it. But if a Naseeruddin [Shah] does a play, audiences will be drawn just because he is doing it.,” says Deepak Qazir, a National School of Drama old-timer who cites the instance of the psychological thriller Broken Images, written by Girish Karnad. It ran to packed houses in Marathi before Shabana Azmi reprised Reema Lagoo’s title role in the English version.

Incidentally Lagoo, who’s honed her skills under theatre-legend Vijaya Mehta, says she’s happier with people who’re are drawn to the subject of the play than those who come backstage for photo-ops and autographs. “I’m happier answering questions on the complexity of the plot or my interpretation. But after you’ve given your all to a role if someone comes and asks about a sari I’ve worn, it can be very frustrating.” She still feels theatre has more potential than is being tapped. “Despite limitations in technology and repertoire, such good work came on stage in the late 70s, 80s and early 90s,” she sighs and adds, “Many of us moved to films for the remuneration and challenge. Now things are looking up here too.”

Actor Vikrant Chaturvedi feels the resurgence in theatre is as much to do with new writing. “Earlier people went to watch plays knowing every turn in the plot. It was more about craft. They wanted to see how an actor or troupe went about a play/adaptation they had watched several times before.
Like films, this is an exciting time to be in theatre when new projects try to push the envelope.”
This challenge to try ‘the different’, he says, keeps actors like him coming back to the stage.

Kalki Koechlin whose play Colour Blind came in for critical appreciation at Centrestage theatre festival agrees. “Theatre is like going to the gym to build muscle. Its great to keep my craft as an actor alive.” She too hopes that this resurgence of theatre sustains. “We have such a fine talent pool that it feels nice to see theatre finally helping them.”

Both she, Katare and Lagoo admit that theatre artistes haven’t got the best deal from films. “Many theatre persons are relegated to character roles in cinema because of their acting prowess but then they get caught in a rut. Look at Reema, there are only so many ways you can play a goody-goody mother. Or see what happened to Nana Patekar or Paresh Rawal who are such fine actors. Villain, comedian, hero they can do anything. But even the best actors can only do so much in terms of bringing something new to their role if they have to go on doing the same thing repeatedly.”

He hopes that films and theatre will sustain each other instead of living off each other. “I see so many youngsters treating theatre like a waiting room to step into TV/films. When someone young joins the group mentoring him can actually be quite draining. I never stop anyone who wants to go but it can be very painful after all you’ve invested in them.”

Qazir feels that the resurgence in theatre in 2013 is providing the right impetus for a synergy between the big/small screens and theatre. “One only hopes this movement continues in the coming year.” We hope so too...