Going Solo theatre festival celebrates the magic of monologue on stage with three plays from the UK
Solo performances are not new to India. From the story-telling natt of Rajasthan to the Theyyam performer in Kerala, India has been witnessing the power of one since centuries now. And from folklores to lullabies, theatre too has adapted this genre of acting in the form of monologue performances. Going Solo, the festival of solo acts, will culminate its nationwide journey in Mumbai after performing in Delhi, Kolkata and Banglore. Teamwork Arts is bringing three award winning and extraordinary solo acts by the internationally celebrated artistes from the UK in this festival.
A leaf from Shakespeare
One of the plays to be showcased is Shylock -- written by Gareth Armstrong and performed by award winning producer, actor, director and writer Guy Masterson. The play explores the tragic and unbelievable life of Shakespeare's most famous Jewish character. Masterson says he is looking forward to an eye-opening performance in the city. "The play extracts the character of Shylock out of The Merchant Of Venice and puts him and his actions into context from the origin of the plot to the origin of Jewish persecution. Shylock of today is very different from 1605 when the play was first seen," he says.
Body language
"If These Spasms Could Speak is a collection of stories about disabled people and their bodies, and the things that happen to us because our bodies are the way that they are. I was inspired to write the piece because I wanted to let non-disabled people know some of the truth about what it is to be disabled and what it is to have a body that's a little bit different from the norm," says actor, writer and director Robert Softley Gale.
Wake up!
Written by Rahila Gupta, Don't Wake Me: The Ballad Of Nihal Armstrong will be performed by British stage and television actor Jaye Griffiths. Gupta's story is about her struggles as the mother of a disabled child and the battles she fights for his rights. It is an autobiographical account of Gupta whose son was starved of oxygen at birth which caused brain damage, also known as cerebral palsy. She says that Don't Wake Me is about disability and discrimination, a conversation that really needs to happen in India.
Standing alone
It's not easy to captivate the audience during solo performance. "One mistake and you are caught and out!" says Masterson. Softley, who has been a disability rights activist, couldn't agree more. "Performing a solo show is a unique experience. The show becomes more about you and the audience, whereas if you're acting with other people, it becomes a collective exercise. So that exchange between performer and audience becomes much more intimate and important. The advantage is that you can take the audience with you but then there's no one to back you up," he says.
When and Where: October 20-21 at NCPA from 7 pm onwards
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