The silent, sombre afternoon at Cubbon Park came alive on Sunday with the clear voices, passionate acting and creativity of members of `Join the Dots’, a youthful group that cherishes the world of theatre. The occasion was one of its regular monthly workshops.
Jogging and walking in a circle with eyes shut were the drills that marked the beginning of the three-hour session conducted by Rahul, one of the group’s co-founders. Particularly eyecatching was the tableaux enacted during which the members stood still for long in strenuous postures.
What really amused the stray audience in the park gaping at the group was the `Word rollercoaster’ round that followed. This game involved a pair taking centrestage and a seated pair reading out phrases from a sheet. The standing duo had to emote instantly in accordance with the words read out in quick succession. `In love’, `hallucinating’, `frowning’, `sexy’ and `want to pee’ were among the long list of actions played out. Elaborating on this bizarre game, Rahul said, “This will teach youngsters to think on their feet which is very important for a stage performer. Each of the eleven members who took part in the workshop was given a chance to display their acting skills in paired rotation.’’
A creative feast was in store when the team divided into two groups was asked to enact the theme “Leap before you look” in a short time. A brainstorming discussion on the pluses and minuses of the performances that followed was quite enlightening.
It was passion for the theatre that resulted in Rahul and his wife Meenakshi founding `Join the Dots’ two-and-a-half-years ago. They conduct theatre workshops and corporate team building sessions on a professional basis.
Their group has 12 active and 100 passive members on its rolls with eight stage productions to their credit.
Members pay a nominal fee which helps in sustaining its activities.The group generally gets together on the last Saturday of every month. Individuals from the IT, ITES, entrepreneurs, doctors and homemakers are among those who figure on its list. The only bond that binds the group is the urge to learn and explore more about acting.
A few, Metrolife interacted with, had this to say: “We learn not just about the theatre but valuable lessons on life too.”
Musten, who runs his own software concern `Techmust Software’ said, “My whole thinking process is getting changed because of these sessions. I am learning how important it is to connect with an audience and this has helped me a lot in the marketing campaign I carry out with prospective clients through e-mail. Again, learning the importance of having the right posture and speech clarity aids me when I don the role of a mentor at my workplace.”
Onooja, who has been with the group right since its inception has done a diploma course in acting at `Actor Prepares’, an institute run by Bollywood actor Anupam Kher in Mumbai. “I am here on a vacation but have come to the workshop as it helps me learn so much on acting.” Dr Dayaprasad, a medical consultant with Dell International, said, “Apart from all the tips on performing, it has taught me to listen carefully, which in turn is helping me immensely professionally when I interact with patients.” Looks like many of us with an inclination for the stage have much to benefit from the sessions here. For details, call up 98450-14330 or 98455-70014.
