Aseem Hattangady Actor [Hindi, Marathi, English Theatre ]
Which is the last best play you saw and why?
Most recently, STORIES IN A SONG, directed by Sunil Shanbag. Brilliant ensemble, great music and superbly directed. Another play has to be THE CLASS OF 84' directed by Rahul Da Cunha. The cast made me forget that they were actors; they seemed like they were actually from the class of 84' of their college days. The camaraderie between them was magical. They were such a cohesive team.
Your favourite adda to see a play
Prithivi Theatre
Your favourite playwright
Vijay Tendulkar. I was introduced to his works very early in life and I guess that's one of the main reasons I have a special connection with his plays. I have grown up on his works. I love Mohan Rakesh, Maxim Gorky, Samuel Beckett and Harold Pinter. But to be honest, I don't read as much as I used to in my student days.
Your favourite play-character
Ashwatthamma from ANDHA YUG, Judas from JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, Lt Commander Philip Francis Queeg from THE CAINE MUTINY COURT MARTIAL.
A play you would like to see filmed. Why?
Dharamvir Bharti's ANDHA YUG, I AM NOT BAJIRAO by Rahul Da Cunha, MUMTAZBHAI PATANGWALE by Manav Kaul.
A novel/short story you would like to see on stage? Why?
'Bhoot' by Krishna Baldev Vaid, 'Badshahat ka Khatma', by Manto. Both these short stories provide tremendous potential for actors. Most recently, one of my favourite short stories, 'The Dream of a Ridiculous Man by Dostoevsky was performed in Mumbai.
The most hilarious play you have seen
ALL THE BEST, RAVANLEELA, directed by Om Katare in true Nautanki style, SAHI RE SAHI, HAMLET- THE CLOWN PRINCE by the Company Theatre.
A play, which is over-hyped
I guess every play has got its audience and hype is a relative term. If a play is running well, but I don't like it, it doesn't mean it is not serving its audience. As Bob Dylan rightly said 'Gotta serve somebody, it may be the Devil or it may be the Lord, but you got to serve somebody'. Everyone is doing their bit.
An important play (but ignored)
I believe a truly great play will eventually find its place in the sun, no matter how much it is ignored. I feel that there is a lot of interesting work happening in regional theatre in India, which hasn't yet managed to find enough exposure.
A play character you would like to ''dialogue'' with
I would like to spend an entire day with the Class of 84'... they (the characters) would make interesting company...
A passage from an important play that you can recite
'To be or not to be' from HAMLET and Ashwatthamma's monologue from ANDHA YUG.
A classical play that you should have read
I picked up Shudhraka's MRICHAKATTIKAAM, but I haven't got around finishing it.
A play that changed your perception about the theatre
Way back in school in class VIII, I saw Ratan Thiyyam's CHAKRAVYUH. The play was in Manipuri and I didn't not understand what they were saying but I was definitely awestruck by the visuals and the performance...there was martial arts... it all took me to another world and blew me away at that time. It changed the way I looked at theatre.
How do you regard the Mumbai theatre scene?
It's wonderful, so wonderful that sometimes we don't get great houses, nor do we get dates at venues because there is so much theatre happening. So many different plays to choose from. It's a feast. And despite expensive rehearsal space and auditorium rents, groups in Mumbai manage to put up a wide variety of performances.
Have you read any interesting books/articles concerning the theatre? Why did you find them interesting?
David Mamet's 'True and False'.
If you have ever been a part of a theatre production/s, can you recall an event that was insightful, significant or simply humorous?
I have tried to find that one event that would do justice to this question, but there are just too many nominees and all of them are great.
Can you think of a foreign production that you found remarkable? Why?
I haven�t seen a foreign production in ages. The last I remember seeing was The Berliner Ensemble, when they came and performed at the Nehru Centre years ago.
Life in the theatre without the humble batata-wada or the cutting chai� or can you recall the best gastronomic experience you�ve had in the precincts of the theatre to date?
The fun of working with different groups is that besides getting to do different plays, you get to try different kinds of food as well. Rather than one gastronomical experience, it�s been one huge gastronomical journey and I�m still on it.
Aseem Hattangady
Which is the last best play you saw and why?
