Playing games with Beckett

Vivek Narayan, just 23, writes about having his Ends and Beginnings chosen for Thespo’s fest.

 

When I first read Samuel Beckett’s Endgame, it produced a rather profound, visceral reaction in me. I went back to the play later, mostly because a rather grave actor, who was a rather grave professor of literature by day, assured me that the play was about old age!

 

The play is about four characters and the games they play. But it is also about theatre, and a metaphor for the modern human condition. After a couple of re-readings, I could not even relate to some parts of the play. The moment of revelation came when I started laughing at the play. That was when I realised I wanted to stage Endgame.

 

I’d directed Girish Karnad’s The Fire and the Rain when still in St Xavier’s College, and founded Shoestring Theatre with Warren D’Sylva. My day job is with an e-learning firm; Warren is with an event management company and he soon came on board Endgame.

 

During rehearsals we ran through a few designs — one highlighting the chess motif, another bringing out the claustrophobia — but they lacked conviction. The only constant was the element of comedy. We were positive we had a very funny play. But it’s only when we performed excerpts at Kamdar’s, Churchgate, and the audience burst into laughter, we knew we were on the right track.

 

The fact that we were all excited young people brought chronic self-indulgence, but also active peer collaboration that allowed us to question everything. Nothing was sacred, not even Beckett. We made changes with gusto, chopped and added, and the play transformed into Ends and Beginnings, a title that we thought would focus better on the lives of the characters in the play. We were more interested in the present lives of the characters than their past.

 

Thespo 8, the Theatre Group youth festival, called for entries. Our play was one of five chosen to be performed in Mumbai, from 48 entries nationwide in five languages. We had mentoring workshops with theatre professionals like Ramu Ramanathan, Arghya Lahiri and Jehan Maneckshaw. In Ramu and Arghya, we found two extremely sympathetic critic-mentors and fellow Beckett lovers. Jehan helped us focus on the craft of production. I was touched by Thespo’s faith in our creative vision. Its sensitivity and commitment to nurturing creative young minds must be its most significant contribution to youth theatre in India.

 

True, one needs only two planks and a passion to make great theatre. But a sensitive festival organiser doesn’t hurt.