Category: Day 2

After an exceptional entrance, the actor led the audience to the auditorium, and the performance began. The performance revolved around a male actor performing as a female and a female, that is his potential successor at the job. Performed using the traditional Nautanki format originating from the northern part of India, the play made use of vibrant costumes and a very simplified yet unique set design. ‘Change is the only constant’ and so one must understand that the position one holds shall be taken by another. The performance threw light upon the very deep-rooted patriarchy through the theme that a female also needs to learn how to be a female by a male. It showed the three basic stages through which the street performers have developed; from the streets to the auditorium to the big screen.

Hieroglyph is an ancient Egyptian writing system that makes use of pictures to write. The session aimed at inculcating this system in theatre and movement. It was based on using the body to create a language of expression. After a few icebreaker exercises and warm-ups, the workshop was taken forward by the recitation of poems and passages by the participants. Moving ahead to the more complex exercises challenging the brain and body, the poems and passages were later used in combination to create a movement piece that engaged the brain, soul, and body. This created a piece of rhythmic movement with simple as well as exaggerated mundane actions of pushing, pulling, hugging, etc.

The workshop was the first of a series of workshops to be conducted during the festival. It aimed at the importance of dealing with the selfand the mind for an actor. Bajaj Sir made the use of poetry, quotes, and dialogues in order to make complex concepts simpler for the participants. The Acting Workshop defined, for the participants, the very close relationship of metaphysics with the actor, the cosmic relations between emotions of the self and others, and how that is important for a performer. The actor needs to be in control of his/her conscience, physical movements,  and lastly be able to identify himself/herself with living and non-living beings. The workshop ended with two exercises aiming at vocal and physical control of an actor. It took the participants to basic, primal instincts of existence.