Here's the first edition of the Festival run-down compiled by Thespo team member,
Aneesha Srinivasan
Tuesday 11th December, 2012:
10am-1pm: Karl Alphonso- Be Prepared! (Part 1)
What a start to Thespo! A small, yet enthusiastic group filtered into Prithvi House at 10 in the morning, where Karl Alphonso inducted them into the mechanics of stage management. The three hours that followed were informative and interactive: with the responsibilities of SMs were discussed, opinions were exchanged, and some very valid questions were raised. “With actors and directors,” said Karl, “your brilliance lies in the fact that nobody can think of replacing you. But with stage managers, how good a job you’ve done depends on how well the production can run without you around.” The nitty-gritty’s of the organizational aspects of stage management formed the largest chunk of the workshop.
6pm: Naquita D’Souza and Band
With a small, cozy audience and a number of popular song covers, the band performances at Thespo 14 started out at a new level of intimacy. With the lilting tunes, the refreshing vocals and the relaxing sound, the mood was set for the rest of the evening.
7pm: Fringe: Cut
A play within a play within a play. Using humour as a cover for messages far more serious and psychological, Cut confused, intrigued and interested audiences till they were at the edge of their seats: wondering at each instant, what would come next. With every “Cut!”, the garb was peeled off a new layer of the play, inching closer to reality. “We never knew which ‘Cut!’ was going to be the last, and that kept me hooked.”, said a member of the audience. “The last Cut!, that marked the close of the play turned out to be a complete surprise. It took a while to believe that really was the end.” Or was it?
8pm: Platform: Caferati
A platform to tell your stories in your words, in the way you want it to be told. The open mic night was definitely a success. Set aside the courage that so many members of the audience displayed by getting on the stage and reading to a group of strangers, their innermost thoughts; focus on how receptive the audience was to their work. They listened intently, and appreciated generously. What was, perhaps, the most memorable part of the event, was when Mukesh, from Prithvi Café took the stage with his surprisingly insightful, satirical and entertaining verse.
9pm: God=Father
The play. The event everybody had been waiting for. As 9pm drew close, the expectations had peaked. And God=Father lived up to it. With witty, fast-paced dialogue, interspersed with a plethora of direct and indirect messages woven into the storyline, the play was engaging, at the very least. As the protagonist drew from his memories to create the air of pathos of a repressed child, the audience shuddered and gasped, as though right on cue. They giggled like hysterical children to the spiritual baba’s antics. They went silent as statues, when social and personal sensibilities were poked at with hot rods. They loved it. But that was no surprise. The performances were stellar. The script was strong. The direction was brave. The play ticked off all the right boxes. How couldn’t it be the perfect choice for Thespo 14’s opening night?
Aneesha Srinivasan
Tuesday 11th December, 2012:
10am-1pm: Karl Alphonso- Be Prepared! (Part 1)
What a start to Thespo! A small, yet enthusiastic group filtered into Prithvi House at 10 in the morning, where Karl Alphonso inducted them into the mechanics of stage management. The three hours that followed were informative and interactive: with the responsibilities of SMs were discussed, opinions were exchanged, and some very valid questions were raised. “With actors and directors,” said Karl, “your brilliance lies in the fact that nobody can think of replacing you. But with stage managers, how good a job you’ve done depends on how well the production can run without you around.” The nitty-gritty’s of the organizational aspects of stage management formed the largest chunk of the workshop.
6pm: Naquita D’Souza and Band
With a small, cozy audience and a number of popular song covers, the band performances at Thespo 14 started out at a new level of intimacy. With the lilting tunes, the refreshing vocals and the relaxing sound, the mood was set for the rest of the evening.
7pm: Fringe: Cut
A play within a play within a play. Using humour as a cover for messages far more serious and psychological, Cut confused, intrigued and interested audiences till they were at the edge of their seats: wondering at each instant, what would come next. With every “Cut!”, the garb was peeled off a new layer of the play, inching closer to reality. “We never knew which ‘Cut!’ was going to be the last, and that kept me hooked.”, said a member of the audience. “The last Cut!, that marked the close of the play turned out to be a complete surprise. It took a while to believe that really was the end.” Or was it?
8pm: Platform: Caferati
A platform to tell your stories in your words, in the way you want it to be told. The open mic night was definitely a success. Set aside the courage that so many members of the audience displayed by getting on the stage and reading to a group of strangers, their innermost thoughts; focus on how receptive the audience was to their work. They listened intently, and appreciated generously. What was, perhaps, the most memorable part of the event, was when Mukesh, from Prithvi Café took the stage with his surprisingly insightful, satirical and entertaining verse.
9pm: God=Father
The play. The event everybody had been waiting for. As 9pm drew close, the expectations had peaked. And God=Father lived up to it. With witty, fast-paced dialogue, interspersed with a plethora of direct and indirect messages woven into the storyline, the play was engaging, at the very least. As the protagonist drew from his memories to create the air of pathos of a repressed child, the audience shuddered and gasped, as though right on cue. They giggled like hysterical children to the spiritual baba’s antics. They went silent as statues, when social and personal sensibilities were poked at with hot rods. They loved it. But that was no surprise. The performances were stellar. The script was strong. The direction was brave. The play ticked off all the right boxes. How couldn’t it be the perfect choice for Thespo 14’s opening night?
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