A short play called O TERI put up at the Short and Sweet Theatre festival 2012, written and directed by Sumeet Vyas. It was light, crisp, and hilarious to the core. All the performances (esp. Amol Parashar�s) made for an amazing light hearted comedy.
Your favourite adda to see a play
Prithvi Theatre. (NCPA�s great too but it�s a bit too far for people who live in the suburbs).
Your favourite playwright
Samuel Beckett
Your favourite play-character
Might sound a cliché, but Hamlet
A play you would like to see filmed. Why?
The play that I acted in for the Short + Sweet theatre festival this year - HOW ABOUT CANNONS? A short film can be possibly made. It is a period piece, rich with references to western classical music, literature and the Russian culture. We tried doing our best on stage, but a film with a handsome production budget for actual locations and period garments, etc could do wonders to such a beautiful script.
A novel/short story you would like to see on stage? Why?
Salman Rushdie�s �Midnight�s Children�. Theatre will do justice to its magic realism.
The most hilarious play you have seen�
ALL ABOUT WOMEN by Akvarious productions.
An important play (but ignored)
Ayn Rand�s NIGHT OF JANUARY 16th
A play character you would like to �dialogue� with.
Roxie from the musical, CHICAGO
A passage from an important play that you can recite
Hamlet�s monologue: �To be or not to be�
A classical play that you should have read
SHAKUNTALA by Kalidas
A play that changed your perception about the theatre�.
Beckett�s WAITING FOR GODOT
How do you regard the Mumbai theatre scene?
It�s healthy because there is great variety to be found in theatre in Mumbai. Variety in language, genre, form, style, unlike any other city in India. But I do wish it was more daring and experimental, especially in terms of subjects and content.
Have you read any interesting books/articles concerning the theatre? Why did you find them interesting?
I remember reading a book on Traditional Indian Devotional Theatre at the NCPA library long ago. I can�t recollect the title or the author�s name. But it was interesting because it made me reflect on the performance-element in religious rites and rituals performed by people in India. Those people perform to/for their deity, using all possible theatrical elements like costume, make-up, dialogue, dance etc. And that made me think that there is actually so much more �theatre� happening in India than we actually know of.
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 acted in a play called MOUNTAIN LANGUAGE (by Harold Pinter), directed by the London based theatre director, Alan Caig Wilson. It was staged in a contemporary style, in a vintage looking office at Kala Ghoda in South Bombay in February 2012. The audience was supposed to move from one location to the other with the actors for different scenes. I played the role of a heartless military guard in a totalitarian regime and I was supposed to usher the audience �in character�, with a stick, pushing and jabbing them. While some people loved the idea, some were a little offended. My director and I shared a good laugh on that account post performance. It was a rather unique experience.
Can you think of a foreign production that you found remarkable? Why?
None that I can recollect.
Your favourite director/actor/music or set designer�
Director : Rajat Kapoor
Actor : Naseeruddin Shah
A significant Indian production that you may have witnessed�..
HAMLET THE CLOWN PRINCE
AAJ RANG HAI
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?
I was once taken to Juhu beach from Prithvi theatre through a relatively unknown short-cut by my friend, right after a play and we had some awesome Juhu chowpatty junk.
Himanshu Singh
Which is the last best play you saw and why?
