What Am I Made Of? - Pt 3

Dramatics: All the world’s a stage. And all the men and women merely players! [Shakespeare]
In the theatre there are 1,500 cameras rolling at the same time - in the cinema, only one. - Orson Welles
Orson Welles is the person who narrated “War of the Worlds” ever so passionately and with such gusto on the BBC, the world believed that the Earth is under attack from space! What art it would have been to be able to be that kind of an orator! What beauty and years of practice along with unfailing passion towards what you love to do!!
My major and formative years in school and college have been spent up on the stage. Being a part of hundreds of plays and skits instilled in me an undying love for art, drama, and theatre. So much so, that I enjoy not only performing, but also watching. Mumbai was a blessing in disguise, for I managed to catch quite a few good plays during my two year stay there. However, getting back to one of the many loves of my life, dramatics, I would definitely want to say that I am every bit an extension of all the characters I have ever played on stage, and vice versa?!? It is lucky if an actor can use “vice-versa” in here, by the by. Though it is not that I did not get to play challenging roles. One of my personal favourites was the character called “Wayland”, in a play we staged when in school. It was called “the man upstairs” and Wayland was the ghost of a dead man who haunted that house each night, in a bid to avenge his death.
Then there was an enactment of the bard’s Merchant of Venice, where I happened to play the ever so covetous role of Shylock, the money minting, shrewd and ever calculating conniver. Another was where I played Timor the Lame and yet another where I got to play Jeanne De Arc’s sister. A mirthful, flamboyant girl. Always in high spirits. All I had to do there was to scamper about the stage. Oh! What a riot of laughter that performance elicited from the packed house!
Many such plays and opportunities later, I can say that I take pride in my passion for dramatics. Why not? For it was the best you could be, do what you want, live a thousand dreams, react and go scot free, scream and be laughed at (rather than roughed up), and laugh truly!
Learning: Do as you please. However, ensure you knowingly hurt none!