THE LEHMAN TRILOGY directed by Sam Mendes, National Theatre screening at the NCPA-- three men and an entire era; even to watch on a screen it was brilliant and one didn't feel the three hours; stunning production and performances; and HAMILTON in London.
Your favourite adda to see a play...
Prithvi undoubtedly
Your favourite playwright...
Samuel Beckett, Harold Pinter, Chekhov, Shakespeare & Vijay Tendulkar
Your favourite play character...
Hedda Gabler
A novel/short story you would like to see on stage? Why?
Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri - short stories with a lot of soul, for their Indianness and astute humanity The most hilarious play you have seen...
NOISES OFF
A play, which is over-hyped...
NOISES OFF
An important play (but ignored)...
ARCADIA - Tom Stoppard, THE DREAMS OF TIPU SULTAN- Girish Karnad , LYSISTRATA by Aristophanes
A play character you would like to "dialogue" with...
Lady Macbeth & Oedipus Rex
A passage from an important play that you can recite...
To be or not to be, HAMLET
A classical play that you should have read...
ANTIGONE
How do you regard the Indian theatre scene?
Burgeoning but in need of central support and infrastructure , regional theatre is still vibrant and viable even as a career but English theatre needs its place in the sun.
Have you read any interesting books/articles concerning the theatre? Why did you find them interesting?
Books for the actor : Peter Brook's, The Empty Space, Michael Caine Acting in Film (revelatory for a theatre actor particularly); Sanford Meisner's, On Acting for its straightforward approach, An Actor's Companion , Seth Barrish, for the working actor
Can you recall an event that was insightful, significant or simply humorous during your theatre journey?
An Indian actress playing an Iraqi woman to a South African audience and having them laugh and cry with her while performing Heather Raffo's, 9 PARTS OF DESIRE in Johannesburg
Can you think of a foreign production that you found remarkable? Why?
LEHMAN TRILOGY most recently for its brilliant direction and performances and just being a superb piece of theatre, HAMILTON for its originality & THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME for its technical brilliance
Your favourite director/actor/music or set designer...
Abhishek Majumdar director /writer currently
A significant Indian production that you may have witnessed....
Lillete Dubey's rock musical on the Mahabharata JAYA & Abhishek Majumdar's DJINNS OF EIDGAH, KAUMUDI
Life in the theatre without the humble batata-wada or the cutting chai... or can you recall the best gastronomic experience you've had in the precincts of the theatre to date?
Batata vada off Mumbai's streets, Bengali food at Kewpies in Calcutta (during a run of Pushan Kripalani's , THE MAIDS in 2001), and the tradition of the best paranthas at Prithvi Cafe.
(Deepa Gahlot is a journalist, columnist, author and curator. Some of her writings are on deepagahlot.com)
Ira Dubey
