Pune’s exposure to the English stage has largely been restricted to stage shows only and many of these are part of the cocktail theatre circuit, and therefore economically highly inaccessible to many a die-hard theatre buff. Cutting incisively into the strictly Marathi theatre domain of Pune, is the Drama Circle of the English department at Symbiosis College. For all those who care to listen and take cognizance of the theatre activities here, this is one place to reckon with in Pune’s theatre landscape. Though still in its nascent stage and rearing to take off, this group lead by Professor Hilda David, has time and again been successful in pulling a coup of sorts, and bringing the best in theatre at the doorstep of its students. It is always exciting to see in flesh and blood what you study in books, helping you to thereby appreciate and assimilate better. With this philosophy in mind, Hilda along with her colleagues has been consistently involved with a variety of theatre activities at the Symbiosis College. Professor David, a die-hard Ibsen fan and a writer in her own right, is a talented woman who has various academic achievements to her credit. She took on the herculean task of celebrating a year long celebration of Ibsen’s work. The intensity with which she went about it could only spell an unmatched passion she has for this writer [Yes, and she did mention once that she was in love and total awe of him. No wonder then this commitment!]. An MA[ 1991] and PhD [1996], in English Literature, she has carved a niche for herself in the field of academics as a teacher, short story and play analyst, translator, counselor, lecturer in Indian, African and Carribean Literature, etc and currently holds the post of Reader And Head of Dramatics at the Symbiosis college in Pune.She has overseen the undergraduate program in comprehensive dramatics, which involves all genres and epochs of classic Drama, Theatrics and Literature. She has directed Arthur Miller’s ALL MY SONS , Henrik Ibsen’s HEDDA GABLER , AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE, GHOSTS; Tennessee Williams’ THE GLASS MENAGERIE and recently, Eugene Ionesco’s THE LESSON.Dr. Ajay Joshi catches her between her rather hectic work schedule, in a tete-a-tete…
Dr. Ajay Joshi
When did you start this theatre group at the Symbiosis College?
Like most things, it was a simple idea. In 2001, a group of students approached me and I said why not. That's how it began..
What was the idea behind it?
Theatre is an ancient idea. The point is, how to make it work in order that its appeals to contemporary audiences. The old fuddy duddy methods have to be shed.
How does it benefit the students?
Today, the human species is at crossroads. Even internationally, art is struggling to make itself sustainable. Art has entered an existential moment: what will it take to survive? When we stage plays or invite plays to Symbiosis, students understand these things. They realize the importance of the realistic mix of creativity and commerce. I believe this kind of nuts and bolts approach will create a new breed of theatre, which can be supported in the future. Merely doling subsidies or doing blah blah to the already converted in a closed room is not going to benefit anyone.
What allied theatre activities do you do, apart from your productions?
Seminars, workshops, lec-dems, visits, city tours, improvisations, theatre games… We have invited contemporary plays to our college. From SHAKKER KE PAANCH DAANE to WHAY, MEE SAVITRIBAI. From MAHADEVBHAI… to a Astad Deboo's dance-theatre. This enables our students to see how the professionals set-up, rehearse, prepare for a show, and produce a play. It’s invaluable, first hand experience. Above all, we party hard and have lots of fun. What a lot of people forget is, theatre means "to play". And we love playing ...
How do you decide which playwright and play to do?
So far it has been Ibsen, Miller, Tennesse Williams , Ionesco. Plus a lot of informal, cold readings, college skits, monologues. We select playwrights who are part of the curriculum so that the students have an unflinching look at the issues that underlie mounting a play production. The language of theatre is different from the words on a page. It’s only when they undergo the rigour of the thing, do they grasp it.
Who were the people who came to you for workshops?
Many. From Satyadev Dubey to Saumik Bandhopadhyaya to Keval Arora to Pramod Pathak. Manav Kaul, Jaimini Pathak, Mahesh Dattani, Ramu Ramanathan, Prasad Vanarase, Dr Ajay Joshi… The support from theatre people, except the ones who sit in NSD or government posts, has been completely unconditional. Most of them spend time with our students without asking for a single naya paisa.
What is the procedure you undertake as you go in for a production?
It’s pretty elaborate. It’s tough to make two hours of words, words, words… entertaining for young people. So it has to be a healthy mix of workshops, games, rehearsals. We invite two to three theatre professionals so that even though it’s a student production, we maintain basic standards.
Which playwright/ director/ play inspires you?
Obviously, Ibsen and Shakespeare. In India it has to be Satish Alekar and Ramu Ramanathan.They have a different aura and way of thinking.
Do the Students get to see other plays/ theatre activity in Pune ?
Yes. Also, we travel to Mumbai, to Prithvi or to the NCPA and catch a show. If we are lucky, we get to catch a tech rehearsal plus a tour of the back-stage. Since we don't have such theatres in Pune, these things are important.
Do you get support from the authorities?
Yes. But most of the time it is about how you overcome the system. I would like the Vishwabhavan auditorium in our college, to be much more theatre friendly and become a hub for plays in Pune.
What are your future plans?
Many. I want to stage MEDEA and perhaps a play by Satish Alekar, who is one of the most under-rated playwrights in our country. But to do an Alekar play in English requires tremendous courage ...I think I have it. HA!
Are you in touch with the students after they pass out? Have any of them taken up theatre?
Yes, I'm in touch with most of them. They have become friends and are big theatre supporters, no matter which city or profession they are in. I always believe that what happens in our drama circle is just a beginning in terms of establishing all kind of links: intellectual, cultural links, media links, and above all, as responsible members of the audience.
On your experience while directing ALL MY SONS…
Well, it’s an important text by one of the best playwrights of the 20th century. It helps students understand a key genre of theatre and the burning issues of our times ... plus the play is taught in the second year, special English. As for the actual show we had a basic audition, then we had a series of readings, discussions and exercises. For us, the process was important and not the final play presentation. We tried to ensure that more and more students benefit from the experience. The atmosphere was ALWAYS non-competitive, with a focus on freeing up the imagination of the students; transforming them into actors and future theatrewallahs. In fact the film ‘Rang De Basanti’ is inspired by the play - and its theme of cynicism and disillusionment, tandem with events that are unfolding on the national main-stage. For us the rehearsals held the key to the relevance of the play. Through the readings, rehearsals and rendering of the play, we examined how to listen to the words of a great playwright and distill our instinctive ideas, images and inspirations into language that is true to the core. Lots of things emerged through the readings discussions. The cast and crew were clear of WHAT the play was saying.They wanted to know HOW to say it. This determined the aesthetics of the staging. It’s a creation of the students, with a bit of professional guidance. It’s been work shaped to provide an interesting new interpretation.
And what about Ibsen, whose work you are enamoured by...
I wish to understand Ibsen's impact on local regional cultures plus theatre in this part of the world. Will it be national or international, or some new kind ofgraft between European culture and local tradition? It is important to sustain human links among practitioners in these economic times. Or else, there might be a bankruptcy of human links. You and me, we are together because we have this ability to exchange something, and we exchange something because Ibsen is a link. It has also been my endeavor to understand what are the real tools to stage Ibsen, especially in times such as ours!!!?. And about the feminist attitude towards Ibsen. Anyhow it's not a feminist attitude in the dogmatic sense of the word. I am not a feminist militant, as you know but I am keen to understand how our generation understands the complexity of this feminine experience, which escapes clichés and militarist positions. It is also imperative to understand the role of art in interpreting Ibsen. For example, when I refer to painting, one sees how Edward Munch has re-created some of those words (perhaps not!) on the painting, and so it has a sublimatory semiology in order to heal the depressive wounds. All the portraitsare of depressed times. This sort of thing is interesting. I am very interested by Munch's intensity and vividness, and his lacunar art. I think - at times - there is a treatment of an Ibsenian evil in the paintings of Munch.
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