FEATURES » METROPLUSCHENNAI, February 6, 2014
Making theatre child’s play
SUDHISH KAMATH
Yog Japee of Theatre Y and Krishnakumar Balasubramanian of The Little Theatre talk to Sudhish Kamath about their journey and training modules for children
They are from two different generations. And are introducing a whole new generation of Chennai kids to theatre.
Yog Japee of Theatre Y and Krishnakumar Balasubramanian also known as KK of The Little Theatre have been training children in theatre over the past few years.
They have both directed three pantomimes each for The Little Theatre and specialise in working with children.
Keeping with the spirit of staying young, we bring them both together for a photo shoot at a playground. “Can you do a pull up?” we ask them. “Yes, I can,” says KK. “Yes, he can,” says Yog, pointing at KK.
After an hour-long fun session of making them play with swings, slides and see-saws for the camera, we sat down to find out if theatre is child’s play.
Yog Japee
Age: 40
Banner: Theatre Y
Background: My first experience with theatre was a poetry performance through British Council and the Culture cafe in the winter of 1998. They had called for people to read poetry. My first plays were with Masquerade and The Madras Players. My directorial debut was Little Theatre’s pantomimeCleopatra (2000). Elves and the Shoemaker (2001) and Romeo and Julieto in Mexico (2010) were the other two pantomimes I did for The Little Theatre. I did four plays for Stella Maris College — Blithe Spirit, Arsenic and Old Lace and That, Then, This, Now - an adaptation of the Panchatantra and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.
As an actor, I cherish the plays I did with Rajeev Krishnan — The Accidental Death Of An Anarchist andGovernment Inspector, an adaptation of Gogol’s Inspector General.
In 2003, I formed Theatre Y; and we did a production called Reality in association with the U.N. volunteers in Srilanka and other social outreach programmes with the UNDP in New Delhi between 2006-2011.
I was a fellow in Clore Chevening cultural leadership programme for a year, that included a secondment at South Bank Centre, London for six months (2013).
Most recently, I attended the Jagruti Yatra, the train journey with 400 other volunteers to discover India and build India through social enterprise.
I had started my acting career in films with Gautham Menon’s Kaakha Kaakha, then did the Telugu version Gharshana and Vettaiyaadu Vilayadu. For Vishnuvardhan, I did Arindum Ariyamalum, Billa 1and 2, then Nandhini’s Thiru Thiru Thuru Thuru and recently, Soodhu Kavvum and X with Nalan Kumarasamy.
USP: The three pillars of Theatre Y are training (we build skills), performances (where we explore alternate spaces, new audiences and new forms) and social outreach programmes (using theatre for development)
Nature of training: Our training is through creative expression. Learning through doing. Through experiential learning and creative exercises.
There is a strong focus on the individual, the group and then, the individual in a group.
We work with a diverse group of children from schools, special schools and the economically underprivileged and tailor-make programmes based on their needs.
We have a 15-day Funty programme in the summer and Funty Six, a six-month programme during the academic year. The programme covers Theatre, Creative writing, Poetry and Illustration. We also try to bring in cartooning and puppetry and other forms of art to facilitate learning.
Most important thing for an actor: To be able to find a space where you get to express yourself with absolute freedom. We create that space. We see a completely different aspect of their behaviour that comes out when they know they can be themselves.
Currently busy with: I have acting assignments, four different films coming up. We are looking at creating a programme for resource people who work with children. Training the trainers, we want to bring them together and work together. We are also scripting for a couple of productions. One will be a mythically driven play and the other is an experiment with form and presentation.
Next batch and fees: The 15-day Funty programme (for age 7 upwards) is in April and registrations open in March.
For details look up www.theatrey.com or call 98410 70796.
We also have the Funty Six programme later this year when schools reopen, it happens every weekend at our centre for six months.
Krishnakumar Balasubramanian aka KK
Age: 27
Banner: The Little Theatre/ Kickass Entertainment
Background: I got on stage seven years ago with The Little Theatre for a pantomime called Pirates of the Curried Beans directed by Michael Muthu where I played the dame, in drag. It was very well received.
In 2010, I was the only actor selected from India for the artists residency in Korea by ASSITEJ India.
In early 2010, I did a feature film called Kaadhalaagi, where I played the lead opposite Prakash Raj.
I have directed three Christmas pantomimes for The Little Theatre. Alice in ILand (2011), The Free Musketeers (2012), The Lord of the Bling (2013).
I have worked on the production of The Little Festival for four years and in the home productions for three years — Kingdom of Joomba (scripted and acted), Atita (scripted, directed and acted), Gapsaa Fully Loaded (scripted, directed and acted).
Most recent was Atita - Into the unknown, a science fiction production. All our productions are original musicals with original scores.
I was on the panel for imparting skills to youth at the world economic forum in Gurgaon in 2012 as a Global Shaper, the youth wing of World Economic Forum.
USP: Since I have had extensive training in martial arts and stunts from Korea and Australia, I incorporate dance forms and martial arts in my productions. We use solid elements of action, to create a hybrid between cinema and theatre because kids need to be excited about the visuals.
Nature of training: We do one and half hours to two hour sessions (a total of 15 sessions) where we get the kids to work with each other, communicate and bring aspects from their environment and channel that into the creative process.
The programme covers a lot of theatre, voice, body movement and they are trained to be actors, directors and choreographers themselves. By the 13th session, they start creating their own plays.
The methodology is improvisation. I would throw them a situation instead of giving them a fixed script. The idea is to create a level plane for the group — be it a leader or the bully or the timid kid, they all need to be equally comfortable.
Most important thing for an actor: To be completely comfortable in your skin. You will be willing to throw yourselves into situations only if you are comfortable. We don’t dwell into brutal theatre techniques, we teach kids through self exploration. We ask them to have fun with it.
Currently busy with: I am planning a trip from the South to North to work with NGOs and do theatre workshops with the slums. It is a short sabbatical before we start preparing for the The Little Theatre’s International Theatre Fest in July.
Next batch and fees: The registrations for The Little Theatre workshop start on March 14. The fees is Rs. 12,000 and seats are filled on a First come first served basis.
The workshop begins only by August and goes on till December every Saturday. The kids from the workshop participate in the Christmas pantomime.
We also have a storytelling workshop called Campfire Tales on the first Friday of every month. The next one is on February 7, between 6.30p.m. and 8.30 p.m at Cheria Aana, our rehearsal space at Village Road, Nungambakkam.
The fees is Rs. 200 a head (on the spot registration). Call 2821 1115 / 96771 25738 to register.
Making theatre child’s play
SUDHISH KAMATH
Yog Japee of Theatre Y and Krishnakumar Balasubramanian of The Little Theatre talk to Sudhish Kamath about their journey and training modules for children
They are from two different generations. And are introducing a whole new generation of Chennai kids to theatre.
Yog Japee of Theatre Y and Krishnakumar Balasubramanian also known as KK of The Little Theatre have been training children in theatre over the past few years.
They have both directed three pantomimes each for The Little Theatre and specialise in working with children.
Keeping with the spirit of staying young, we bring them both together for a photo shoot at a playground. “Can you do a pull up?” we ask them. “Yes, I can,” says KK. “Yes, he can,” says Yog, pointing at KK.
After an hour-long fun session of making them play with swings, slides and see-saws for the camera, we sat down to find out if theatre is child’s play.
Yog Japee
Age: 40
Banner: Theatre Y
Background: My first experience with theatre was a poetry performance through British Council and the Culture cafe in the winter of 1998. They had called for people to read poetry. My first plays were with Masquerade and The Madras Players. My directorial debut was Little Theatre’s pantomimeCleopatra (2000). Elves and the Shoemaker (2001) and Romeo and Julieto in Mexico (2010) were the other two pantomimes I did for The Little Theatre. I did four plays for Stella Maris College — Blithe Spirit, Arsenic and Old Lace and That, Then, This, Now - an adaptation of the Panchatantra and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.
As an actor, I cherish the plays I did with Rajeev Krishnan — The Accidental Death Of An Anarchist andGovernment Inspector, an adaptation of Gogol’s Inspector General.
In 2003, I formed Theatre Y; and we did a production called Reality in association with the U.N. volunteers in Srilanka and other social outreach programmes with the UNDP in New Delhi between 2006-2011.
I was a fellow in Clore Chevening cultural leadership programme for a year, that included a secondment at South Bank Centre, London for six months (2013).
Most recently, I attended the Jagruti Yatra, the train journey with 400 other volunteers to discover India and build India through social enterprise.
I had started my acting career in films with Gautham Menon’s Kaakha Kaakha, then did the Telugu version Gharshana and Vettaiyaadu Vilayadu. For Vishnuvardhan, I did Arindum Ariyamalum, Billa 1and 2, then Nandhini’s Thiru Thiru Thuru Thuru and recently, Soodhu Kavvum and X with Nalan Kumarasamy.
USP: The three pillars of Theatre Y are training (we build skills), performances (where we explore alternate spaces, new audiences and new forms) and social outreach programmes (using theatre for development)
Nature of training: Our training is through creative expression. Learning through doing. Through experiential learning and creative exercises.
There is a strong focus on the individual, the group and then, the individual in a group.
We work with a diverse group of children from schools, special schools and the economically underprivileged and tailor-make programmes based on their needs.
We have a 15-day Funty programme in the summer and Funty Six, a six-month programme during the academic year. The programme covers Theatre, Creative writing, Poetry and Illustration. We also try to bring in cartooning and puppetry and other forms of art to facilitate learning.
Most important thing for an actor: To be able to find a space where you get to express yourself with absolute freedom. We create that space. We see a completely different aspect of their behaviour that comes out when they know they can be themselves.
Currently busy with: I have acting assignments, four different films coming up. We are looking at creating a programme for resource people who work with children. Training the trainers, we want to bring them together and work together. We are also scripting for a couple of productions. One will be a mythically driven play and the other is an experiment with form and presentation.
Next batch and fees: The 15-day Funty programme (for age 7 upwards) is in April and registrations open in March.
For details look up www.theatrey.com or call 98410 70796.
We also have the Funty Six programme later this year when schools reopen, it happens every weekend at our centre for six months.
Krishnakumar Balasubramanian aka KK
Age: 27
Banner: The Little Theatre/ Kickass Entertainment
Background: I got on stage seven years ago with The Little Theatre for a pantomime called Pirates of the Curried Beans directed by Michael Muthu where I played the dame, in drag. It was very well received.
In 2010, I was the only actor selected from India for the artists residency in Korea by ASSITEJ India.
In early 2010, I did a feature film called Kaadhalaagi, where I played the lead opposite Prakash Raj.
I have directed three Christmas pantomimes for The Little Theatre. Alice in ILand (2011), The Free Musketeers (2012), The Lord of the Bling (2013).
I have worked on the production of The Little Festival for four years and in the home productions for three years — Kingdom of Joomba (scripted and acted), Atita (scripted, directed and acted), Gapsaa Fully Loaded (scripted, directed and acted).
Most recent was Atita - Into the unknown, a science fiction production. All our productions are original musicals with original scores.
I was on the panel for imparting skills to youth at the world economic forum in Gurgaon in 2012 as a Global Shaper, the youth wing of World Economic Forum.
USP: Since I have had extensive training in martial arts and stunts from Korea and Australia, I incorporate dance forms and martial arts in my productions. We use solid elements of action, to create a hybrid between cinema and theatre because kids need to be excited about the visuals.
Nature of training: We do one and half hours to two hour sessions (a total of 15 sessions) where we get the kids to work with each other, communicate and bring aspects from their environment and channel that into the creative process.
The programme covers a lot of theatre, voice, body movement and they are trained to be actors, directors and choreographers themselves. By the 13th session, they start creating their own plays.
The methodology is improvisation. I would throw them a situation instead of giving them a fixed script. The idea is to create a level plane for the group — be it a leader or the bully or the timid kid, they all need to be equally comfortable.
Most important thing for an actor: To be completely comfortable in your skin. You will be willing to throw yourselves into situations only if you are comfortable. We don’t dwell into brutal theatre techniques, we teach kids through self exploration. We ask them to have fun with it.
Currently busy with: I am planning a trip from the South to North to work with NGOs and do theatre workshops with the slums. It is a short sabbatical before we start preparing for the The Little Theatre’s International Theatre Fest in July.
Next batch and fees: The registrations for The Little Theatre workshop start on March 14. The fees is Rs. 12,000 and seats are filled on a First come first served basis.
The workshop begins only by August and goes on till December every Saturday. The kids from the workshop participate in the Christmas pantomime.
We also have a storytelling workshop called Campfire Tales on the first Friday of every month. The next one is on February 7, between 6.30p.m. and 8.30 p.m at Cheria Aana, our rehearsal space at Village Road, Nungambakkam.
The fees is Rs. 200 a head (on the spot registration). Call 2821 1115 / 96771 25738 to register.
Musketeering a one-man-show
By Janane Venkatraman - CHENNAI (The New Indian Express)
The New Indian Express: Krishnakumar Balasubramanian | Photo by R Satish Babu
Krishnakumar, known to all and sundry as KK, is tall, imposing, with a twinkle in his eye and a voice that carries to the far end of the building Little Theatre’s studio is situated in. Hearing him, one would think he was a pretty accomplished singer. “Oh no no no. I don’t sing... much. I’ve sung a little here and there, but I've not taken it up as a full time thing. You think I should?” he asks with a nervous grin. He has just wrapped up a five-day show with Atita – Into the Unknown and is now rubbing his hands in glee for his next show at the Short + Sweet festival which is also, incidentally, his first with his new production company, KiKass.
Aimed at a mostly young adult crowd, the new company is KK’s brainchild – a product of nearly six years of learning with the Little Theatre – and Einstein. “My background had nothing to do with theatre. I’d gotten a sports scholarship to Marquette University, where I read Einstein’s quote – I’d rather waste time doing something I like, than spend time doing something I don’t. That’s what made me switch careers to theatre, because I love acting so much,” he says.
The former national level swimmer then took up acting, which led to directing, scriptwriting and stunt choreography – the last of which really took off with the Three Musketeers last December. “I started stunts from the first production I did for Little Theatre, called Atita – Out of this World, around two years ago. That actually had silambam in it,” he says with a grin.
The other aspect of working with the Little Theatre also means that there are a lot of kids to work with. And learn. “They are my biggest source of learning!” he says cheerfully. “A child comes with no baggage at all – there is no acting background, it’s all very raw. And what you learn from them is actually spectacular. A lot of my learning also came from teaching them.” And what has he learnt from teaching the kids so far? “Patience!” he says with a loud guffaw. “When you’re working with so many kids, you really learn how to be patient. Otherwise, you’d just go mad,” he adds.
And after dabbling with sets and lighting in last week’s show, is he planning to run a one-man-show soon? “Maybe. But I’d absolutely love to,” he says but hurries to add, “We might be doing something in November though, from KiKass – you should watch out for the sets and lighting. And stunts, loads of stunts,” he says with that twinkle back in his eye.
As for an immediate fix of KK’s acting, KiKass Productions will be staging Oru Cup Coffee, written by Jagadeesh Khanna and directed by Rohini Rau. The 10-minute play also stars Dinesh E and Abishek Joseph George.
Aimed at a mostly young adult crowd, the new company is KK’s brainchild – a product of nearly six years of learning with the Little Theatre – and Einstein. “My background had nothing to do with theatre. I’d gotten a sports scholarship to Marquette University, where I read Einstein’s quote – I’d rather waste time doing something I like, than spend time doing something I don’t. That’s what made me switch careers to theatre, because I love acting so much,” he says.
The former national level swimmer then took up acting, which led to directing, scriptwriting and stunt choreography – the last of which really took off with the Three Musketeers last December. “I started stunts from the first production I did for Little Theatre, called Atita – Out of this World, around two years ago. That actually had silambam in it,” he says with a grin.
The other aspect of working with the Little Theatre also means that there are a lot of kids to work with. And learn. “They are my biggest source of learning!” he says cheerfully. “A child comes with no baggage at all – there is no acting background, it’s all very raw. And what you learn from them is actually spectacular. A lot of my learning also came from teaching them.” And what has he learnt from teaching the kids so far? “Patience!” he says with a loud guffaw. “When you’re working with so many kids, you really learn how to be patient. Otherwise, you’d just go mad,” he adds.
And after dabbling with sets and lighting in last week’s show, is he planning to run a one-man-show soon? “Maybe. But I’d absolutely love to,” he says but hurries to add, “We might be doing something in November though, from KiKass – you should watch out for the sets and lighting. And stunts, loads of stunts,” he says with that twinkle back in his eye.
As for an immediate fix of KK’s acting, KiKass Productions will be staging Oru Cup Coffee, written by Jagadeesh Khanna and directed by Rohini Rau. The 10-minute play also stars Dinesh E and Abishek Joseph George.
When plays sing and dance
MUSICALS Theatre in Chennai is not just about acting; it’s also about learning to groove while carrying a tune. Yes, we’re talking about musicals. TANYA THOMAS
Musical
theatre isn’t really a foreign concept. Traditional Tamil theatre, a
prominent actor-director explains, combines the very same elements found
in English musicals. It’s not just a music concert, it’s not a dance
programme and it’s definitely more than just a play. It’s easy to forget
yourself when watching one; to get absorbed in the complex moods it can
create even as you tap your feet to the music. But the sudden and
unexpected spurt in the number of musicals is worth noting. 2009 was a
record year for the format with about six different productions and
their repeat shows jostling for space. Less in 2010, but there still
were quite a few. Freddy Koikaran calls it the “resurgence” of a dormant
trend and likens its popularity to the film industry, because it offers
everything an audience loves: story, music and dance.
Why copy?
But questions remain on the quality of these performances, and why they’re mostly rehashed Hollywood films or Broadway-West End-inspired productions. Are musicals finally gaining lost ground? Or is this just bad karaoke on stage?
Hans Kaushik, director of the 2009 (“Shylock: Merchant or Menace”) and 2010 (“Rip Van Wrinkle”) Little Theatre pantomimes, attributes the pattern to a ripple effect; some do it watching others do it. “It’s a positive sign for theatre. It bodes well now that lots of groups are working on this format.” The biggest challenge in staging a show with song, dance and dialogue? Casting. “A musical is an all-round experience for both the actor and director. It’s difficult to cast especially if you’re an actor like me; I can’t sing or dance to save my life. So we have to choose the actors, the music and the choreography very carefully.”
Michael Muthu, director of the “Jesus Christ Superstar” (JSC), “Pirates of the Curried Beans” panto, this year’s “Over the Rainbow” and Mellow Circle’s recent “A Christmas Carol”, agrees that good casting is the crux of a successful musical. “You can count on two fingers the number of people who can sing AND act”. While the quantity has increased, he rubbishes the quality of what makes its way to stage masquerading as musicals. “It’s one big, huge compromise. Just because there’s a little music and dance, you haven’t performed a musical; you’ve only attempted one. Honestly, I haven’t seen a decent musical in years.”
Aysha Rau of Little Theatre who gives the city, among other things, its much-loved Christmas pantomime (this month will be their 16th production) says that musicals adapted from the West cannot match the production values of the originals. “It’s a big comedown, especially for those who’ve watched them at Broadway.”
The musical format, occasionally, tends to trivialise plots, with shaky stories held together only by good music and neat choreography. Even the more ’serious’ ones become breezy entertainers when they reach the local platform. Something theatre-goers have clicked tongues about in the past. Again, Mike emphasises that this isn’t the fault of the form per se. “Emotions in a musical are very real, more than in a play. If it seems trivialised, it’s just been done badly.”
However, Jeffery Vardon (“Cats”, “Mamma Mia!”, “Joseph and his Coat of Many Colours”, and also “JSC”) counters that the focus on plot and story doesn’t really shift to mere entertainment; musicals as a genre require less acting and more emoting through song and movement. He’s learnt from experience that audiences primarily attend his shows to watch the Hot Shoe Dance Company perform; and not necessarily for seasoned actors.
On the contrary…
Clearly, divergent views exist. Which leaves one other common denominator that’s pulling quality down. As any producer would gladly explain, as the scale of production increases, sets become gigantic and the costs prohibitive, budget constraints unfortunately dictate how good a show finally is.
To Mike, the Broadway-West End influence is inevitable. Their pieces are “very well known and very well written” and it’s difficult to come across an Indian piece of similar quality. Freddy (“Grease”, “Chicago”, “Night at the Musical”, and currently working on “Dirty Dancing”, a “pseudo-musical”) agrees. “Creating an original script requires a very different skill set than what an actor/director would have; more so in musicals as they also involve composing and choreographing music. There are very few playwrights here whose works are widely accepted; most of them struggle just to get audiences. That’s why Andrew Lloyd Webber is so revered.”
A rare exception would be the performances at the Little Theatre where everything you see on stage is scripted, composed and choreographed locally. Freddy predicts that this can be done more if the right collaboration happens, now that “lots of bands are doing original music.” And it’s probably happening already. Although plans are still nascent, Jeffrey is looking to the same format to stage “Shakuntala”, with Bharatnatyam replacing all that jazz.
But doubts still linger on how good, professionally, these shows are. Freddy links the quality of any production to the effort that goes into staging it; significant now as several groups blame poor performances on increasingly short prep time. “But, as a viewer, that’s not my problem. For me it’s a question of ethics. If I expect people to shell out money, I’m obliged to do the best I can.” Aysha concurs. “A badly rehearsed production is simply an insult to the audience.”
Tanya is a III Year B.Com. student at Stella Maris College.
Why copy?
But questions remain on the quality of these performances, and why they’re mostly rehashed Hollywood films or Broadway-West End-inspired productions. Are musicals finally gaining lost ground? Or is this just bad karaoke on stage?
Hans Kaushik, director of the 2009 (“Shylock: Merchant or Menace”) and 2010 (“Rip Van Wrinkle”) Little Theatre pantomimes, attributes the pattern to a ripple effect; some do it watching others do it. “It’s a positive sign for theatre. It bodes well now that lots of groups are working on this format.” The biggest challenge in staging a show with song, dance and dialogue? Casting. “A musical is an all-round experience for both the actor and director. It’s difficult to cast especially if you’re an actor like me; I can’t sing or dance to save my life. So we have to choose the actors, the music and the choreography very carefully.”
Michael Muthu, director of the “Jesus Christ Superstar” (JSC), “Pirates of the Curried Beans” panto, this year’s “Over the Rainbow” and Mellow Circle’s recent “A Christmas Carol”, agrees that good casting is the crux of a successful musical. “You can count on two fingers the number of people who can sing AND act”. While the quantity has increased, he rubbishes the quality of what makes its way to stage masquerading as musicals. “It’s one big, huge compromise. Just because there’s a little music and dance, you haven’t performed a musical; you’ve only attempted one. Honestly, I haven’t seen a decent musical in years.”
Aysha Rau of Little Theatre who gives the city, among other things, its much-loved Christmas pantomime (this month will be their 16th production) says that musicals adapted from the West cannot match the production values of the originals. “It’s a big comedown, especially for those who’ve watched them at Broadway.”
The musical format, occasionally, tends to trivialise plots, with shaky stories held together only by good music and neat choreography. Even the more ’serious’ ones become breezy entertainers when they reach the local platform. Something theatre-goers have clicked tongues about in the past. Again, Mike emphasises that this isn’t the fault of the form per se. “Emotions in a musical are very real, more than in a play. If it seems trivialised, it’s just been done badly.”
However, Jeffery Vardon (“Cats”, “Mamma Mia!”, “Joseph and his Coat of Many Colours”, and also “JSC”) counters that the focus on plot and story doesn’t really shift to mere entertainment; musicals as a genre require less acting and more emoting through song and movement. He’s learnt from experience that audiences primarily attend his shows to watch the Hot Shoe Dance Company perform; and not necessarily for seasoned actors.
On the contrary…
Clearly, divergent views exist. Which leaves one other common denominator that’s pulling quality down. As any producer would gladly explain, as the scale of production increases, sets become gigantic and the costs prohibitive, budget constraints unfortunately dictate how good a show finally is.
To Mike, the Broadway-West End influence is inevitable. Their pieces are “very well known and very well written” and it’s difficult to come across an Indian piece of similar quality. Freddy (“Grease”, “Chicago”, “Night at the Musical”, and currently working on “Dirty Dancing”, a “pseudo-musical”) agrees. “Creating an original script requires a very different skill set than what an actor/director would have; more so in musicals as they also involve composing and choreographing music. There are very few playwrights here whose works are widely accepted; most of them struggle just to get audiences. That’s why Andrew Lloyd Webber is so revered.”
A rare exception would be the performances at the Little Theatre where everything you see on stage is scripted, composed and choreographed locally. Freddy predicts that this can be done more if the right collaboration happens, now that “lots of bands are doing original music.” And it’s probably happening already. Although plans are still nascent, Jeffrey is looking to the same format to stage “Shakuntala”, with Bharatnatyam replacing all that jazz.
But doubts still linger on how good, professionally, these shows are. Freddy links the quality of any production to the effort that goes into staging it; significant now as several groups blame poor performances on increasingly short prep time. “But, as a viewer, that’s not my problem. For me it’s a question of ethics. If I expect people to shell out money, I’m obliged to do the best I can.” Aysha concurs. “A badly rehearsed production is simply an insult to the audience.”
Tanya is a III Year B.Com. student at Stella Maris College.
Make your kid worldly-wise
Anuradha Varma, TNN, Mar 20, 2011,
When Aparna's husband got grey hair, her five-year-old son came running to ask her if his father was growing old and would soon die. The Dad decided to have his hair dyed! From death to issues about money, children are often shielded about the realities of life.
While children need to be nurtured in a protective environment, they have to be prepared for the challenges of real life. Says Tina, a teacher, "They live in oblivion. When they reach college, they are suddenly introduced to competition and realise that every kid has a success story."
Sunitha Narayanan, MSW, University of Chicago, believes parents, school and community resources have to work together to build a support system. She says, "If the family is going through a divorce or parents are separated, children should be educated about the pros and cons of their situation. If a parent is suffering from cancer or other terminal conditions, it is necessary to prepare the child for the inevitable. Teenagers should be informed about drugs abuse."
The world out there is not hunkydory, with good always triumphing over bad as in fiction. Says children's author Subhadra Sengupta, "Kids are much more rebellious, questioning and peer pressure is a serious issue. Most importantly, they should know that every one is not a good person. We are bringing up children too protectively. Everything is done for them, instead if occasionally they are made to take a DTC bus or go and buy the groceries, cook a meal or manage money they will handle life better. They see life through a car window, not the best training for life."
Children enjoy role-playing in make-believe situations and this is a useful way for parents to assess what they've picked up from the environment. Says Aysha Rau, of the Little Theatre, Chennai, "Role play games in theatre are helpful for children to communicate what is happening in their lives and to also express their feelings of insecurity, anger and helplessness in various situations." Adds Ashish Ghosh, director of theatre group Anant, "In my workshops with children, they have revealed things that will shock any 'adult'."
With rise in sexual permissiveness among youth, it is important to make teens understand certain issues as early as possible. Says Sunitha, "Children around the age of 10/11 should be introduced to the importance of privacy and their body; equip them with words to use when they feel that others are in their space."
In a study, reported by the Daily Mail , UK-based children's charity Kidscape assessed the online activities of 2,300 11 to 18-year-olds and found that 45 per cent said they were sometimes happier online than in their real lives. One told researchers: "It's easier to be who you want to be, because nobody knows you and if you don't like the situation you can just exit and it is over."
However, no amount of preparedness can substitute for real life experiences. As illustrator Tapas Guha says, "Children should be allowed to talk about their problems openly, meet other kids who have actually experienced such issues. However, nobody takes words seriously irrespective of age. Only when you are hit on the head, you know the pain!" At some point, one has to let go, but there's time to cushion the free fall when children are still growing.
While children need to be nurtured in a protective environment, they have to be prepared for the challenges of real life. Says Tina, a teacher, "They live in oblivion. When they reach college, they are suddenly introduced to competition and realise that every kid has a success story."
Sunitha Narayanan, MSW, University of Chicago, believes parents, school and community resources have to work together to build a support system. She says, "If the family is going through a divorce or parents are separated, children should be educated about the pros and cons of their situation. If a parent is suffering from cancer or other terminal conditions, it is necessary to prepare the child for the inevitable. Teenagers should be informed about drugs abuse."
The world out there is not hunkydory, with good always triumphing over bad as in fiction. Says children's author Subhadra Sengupta, "Kids are much more rebellious, questioning and peer pressure is a serious issue. Most importantly, they should know that every one is not a good person. We are bringing up children too protectively. Everything is done for them, instead if occasionally they are made to take a DTC bus or go and buy the groceries, cook a meal or manage money they will handle life better. They see life through a car window, not the best training for life."
Children enjoy role-playing in make-believe situations and this is a useful way for parents to assess what they've picked up from the environment. Says Aysha Rau, of the Little Theatre, Chennai, "Role play games in theatre are helpful for children to communicate what is happening in their lives and to also express their feelings of insecurity, anger and helplessness in various situations." Adds Ashish Ghosh, director of theatre group Anant, "In my workshops with children, they have revealed things that will shock any 'adult'."
With rise in sexual permissiveness among youth, it is important to make teens understand certain issues as early as possible. Says Sunitha, "Children around the age of 10/11 should be introduced to the importance of privacy and their body; equip them with words to use when they feel that others are in their space."
In a study, reported by the Daily Mail , UK-based children's charity Kidscape assessed the online activities of 2,300 11 to 18-year-olds and found that 45 per cent said they were sometimes happier online than in their real lives. One told researchers: "It's easier to be who you want to be, because nobody knows you and if you don't like the situation you can just exit and it is over."
However, no amount of preparedness can substitute for real life experiences. As illustrator Tapas Guha says, "Children should be allowed to talk about their problems openly, meet other kids who have actually experienced such issues. However, nobody takes words seriously irrespective of age. Only when you are hit on the head, you know the pain!" At some point, one has to let go, but there's time to cushion the free fall when children are still growing.