Nataka
Paying Homage To Girish Karnad
Date
Nov 25, 2019
Duration
5 Weeks
Target Audience
The target audience for this project includes theater enthusiasts interested in multilingual performances, fans of Girish Karnad's work, and students and faculty of theater and performing arts programs.
Team
Director: C. Basavalingaiah
Curator: Mamta Sagar
Team:
This is a group project of ~100 Srishti Students in collaboration with the talented students of NSD.
My Roles in the Play:
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A member of group dance dedicated to Lord Ganesha (3:00 to 6:16)
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A Lamp Flame introduced in the first few minutes of the Play - Hayavadana Act I (8:00,1:14:40, 1:16:45)
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A member of the villagers attending the panchayat at the end of the Play - Naga Mandala (1:23:50)
Project Brief
Srishti Institute of Art, Design & Technology (now. Srishti Manipal) and the National School of Drama, Bangalore collaborated in 2019 on a multilingual Nataka performance with glimpses from Girish Karnad's plays Hayavadana, Agni Mattu Male, and Naga Mandala for the Karnad Utsav. The project aimed to showcase the diverse cultural and linguistic identities of India through theatre and performance art.
C. Basavalingaiah directed the plays, which explored themes such as identity, desire, and power. The project involved intensive rehearsals, and set design, culminating in a series of public performances that highlighted the unique voices and perspectives of the actors and crew. The project aimed to foster collaboration and exchange between the institutions and inspire dialogue around the role of theatre and performance art in shaping cultural identity.
Deliverables
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Performing a role in the multilingual Nataka performance of Girish Karnad's plays Hayavadana, Agni Mattu Male, and Taledanda.
Design Considerations
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Selection of actors with the necessary language skills and stage experience to perform the plays effectively
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Creation of an engaging stage set
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Appropriate lighting and sound design
The Process & Outcome:
Oh boy, let me tell you about the wild ride I had during the duration of this project! We traveled by bus everyday to NSD (National School of Drama, Bangalore) at around 9am from the Srishti campus and got back at around 7-9pm (there were also days that I got back at 12pm and had to wake my PG Warden to allow me entry). The first few weeks of this project were spent in familiarizing ourselves with the NSD campus environment and various performance based activities. We played more introductory games than I can count - playing catch blindfolded, memorizing Srishti and NSD student names in small batches (there were close to a 100 names!), and many more. That was followed by morning acting lessons and exercises promoting exaggerated movements. We had group performances simulating public spaces. I acted as a marketplace fishseller shouting "Karimeen! Karimeen!". Then we had voice modulation activities (I was pretty bad at bringing out my chest voice) and Yakshagana performances (I have a background in Bharatnatyam, so this was fun). The NSD students at the time were preparing for a Yakshagana performance themselves, so we got to see them in their element from make-up & costumes to their dramatic and elegant performances. But that's not all, we also got to experiment with music using everything from beanstalks to pots and pans. We sang and introduced animal sounds to our music to enhance it. We got to try out Malakambha (I could only climb halfway) and rope climbing in the mornings. We even did some cleaning around the theatre - who knew sweeping could be so much fun? I could hear groans and sighs all around.
But then came the real deal - the script. I auditioned for the role of the lamp flame, which I later translated into Malayalam because, you know, multilingual play and all that. And guess what? I got the part! I also got shortlisted for the dance from our Yakshagana activity. And boy, did we practice. Some groups worked on acting, some in stage design and some in music, dance and stunts. From morning till night, we were practically living at NSD. It was like being in a whole different world - a world full of culture, tradition and a sense of community. And after three days of rigorous practice under Basavalingaiah's direction, we were finally ready to hit the stage. After makeup I wore a beautiful light blue saree for the dance and transformed into full black for the role of the flame. On entering the stage, all I could see was a black sea of audience as it was a night-time theatrical performance. We performed the play twice for two consecutive days and appreciated the audience's applause. This was an experience of a lifetime!
Learnings & Shortcomings
Having been born and brought-up in Bangalore, for the first time, I got to immerse myself in the true essence of Karnataka's vibrant culture. Despite not being fluent in the language, I found myself tapping my feet and swaying to the beat of traditional songs. I gave it my all for the performance, projecting my voice to the best of my ability and sitting through the entire play while acting. The energy was contagious, and before I knew it, I was belting out the lyrics alongside my newfound friends. As we wrapped up the performance, we even turned into an impromptu choir, harmonizing while shedding our costumes and makeup. It was an unforgettable experience that taught me to embrace the unknown and celebrate the beauty of diverse cultures.
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