Worn out professionals join theatre to vent out!

Font Size

Print

Feedback

Email

Discuss

Related Articles

Ten women spread ‘untamed ideas’ on canvas'Condom ring-tone' attracts 270,000 downloadsWorn out professionals join theatre to vent out!Saree, now a favoured garment in Canada

These professionals are remotely related to each other when it comes to their real life but now theatre has given them a common platform to help them vent out their grouse against the monotonous routines of life. Richa Bhatia takes a peep.

For Maneka Sharma, in her mid-thirties, it would have been hard to hear the dramatic lines of dialogues, to envision the stage directions, costuming, lighting, music or anything else that makes theatre what it is: an event to be seen.

After being associated with Pandies’ Theatre, a Delhi-based activist troupe since 1994, Sharma who has no training in theatre handles the backstage chaos with aplomb. Besides production, Sharma who runs a BPO--Human Factor in Delhi also conducts workshops in theatre for the underprivileged children.

“The corporate world has become a bit of a vortex and the race for money is very debilitating. For people who have a passion for theatre and want to give something back to society, this is a ready outlet,” said Sanjay Kumar, 47, President and one of the founding members of Pandies’ troupe that was registered in 1993.

Likewise Gautam Agarwal, who is part of production team of a news channel (CNN-IBN), has acted in 20 plays so far. His last performance in Danger Zones at Shri Ram Centre revolved around the Nithari murder episode. The play also raked up the issue of homosexuality and the plight of the marginalized.

“After the good response here we also plan to stage the performance in Lahore,” said Kumar.

Pandies’ has 30 active members.

As Sunit Sinha, Creative Director with Solutions, 36, and a committed theatre enthusiast who set up The Actor Factor Theatre Company (AFTC) in December in 2006 explains, “ It all started with one corporate show for Hewlett-Packard in January and it was then we received a lot of requests from people who desperately wanted to get back to theatre”.

Sinha is no stranger to theatre. His move to Delhi for graduation from Khalsa College led him to several workshops with theatre heavyweights like M K Raina in Prayog, Joy Michael in Yatrik and NK Sharma for Jana Natya Manch.