Direction : Deshik Vansadia Writer : Leonard Nimoy Cast : Deshik Vansadia
VINCENT Review
Vincent Van Gogh lived a meteoric life which is well-documented but not so well understood. The play fills this gap well. The play describes Vincent's journey of being a painter whose work was not understood by people around him including those who supported him such as his brother, Theo. The play acquires significance because beyond the documentation that history provides, what Vincent went through inside his mind is less often discussed. The play is created from the letters that were exchanged between Vincent Van Gogh and his brother, Theo.
VINCENT recounts the intense disappointments and frustration that he faced all his life until his death. Many interesting episodes leave a mark on the audience. Theo supported Vincent when it came to family matters and arranging money, but he was embarrassed by Vincent's paintings and would not praise it in front of others and would even now show it. Vincent wanted to paint the world as it should be, and not how it is, and that made the paintings outrageous and unreal for the viewers. Vincent was a popular teacher amongst his few students. He even convinced Theo to try his hand in painting. Vincent was unable to find a girl who he would want to get married to, but when he did, he found a girl who had a child and was pregnant with another one. He spent some time in an asylum and found that it gave him respite. His paintings would rarely sell and once when one of them sold, they hoped it would be the beginning but it did not turn out to be so. Vincent also talks about forming a collective of painters so that they can bargain for a dignified living while doing their work. He finally decided to take his life.
The play is a mix of facts, correspondence and imagination but the fact that the play has lasted for so long shows that it uncovers the difficulties of being a genius. The long duration that it takes for the public to understand the work of an artist takes a heavy toll on his life.
Deshik Vansadia is an articulate solo performer of the play. The play is a little inaccessible in the beginning but once it starts delving into the strange episodes of Vincent's life, it holds your attention.
Some western countries have learnt the importance of creating a system for artists to get opportunities and recognising work early, but these lessons are yet to be learnt in emerging economies like India. A play like VINCENT can help the audience sensitize them to the fact that the work that they may not understand or value enough today, may turn out to be a classic in times to come. However, in this period, the creator may suffer and have various difficulties. VINCENT also helps the audience realize that it is not just the government or censor board that objects to the work of a genius but even his own family members.
*Tarun Agarwal is the author of Hope Factory: Business Ideas For Everyone, and has directed a short film, Honesty Weds Dishonesty
