An interesting session

INFORMAL GATHERING

As they do not have a permanent place of their own, such meetings are held at offices of the different members. A reading of the play Dimetos, written by Athol Fugard, was held recently at the office of Vibgyor Entertainment. Says Sachin who is a member of the group, “We have these meetings once a month and the members can choose any play of their liking. This particular play was selected by one of the members. We have already performed three of his plays so we are acquainted with Fugard’s style of writing.”

Dimetos had a self-introspective theme, very different from the other plays written by Fugard which are centred around apartheid that prevailed in South Africa. It consisted of four characters — Dimetos, Lydia, Sophia and Danilo.

The story revolved around Dimetos and his decision to turn his back on the big-city life and live in a village instead. Along with this, it even subtly delved into the evils of carnal passion and the consequences thereafter.

The highlight of this session was that every member here got a chance to play a character and read the play for the entire group present.

Says Sunitha, a theatre artiste, “People need not have a background in theatre to participate in this reading. They don’t have to know the nuances of play-acting or intonation. All they need to have is an interest in reading.”

Adds Itisha, a marketing executive, “Every person who comes here gets an opportunity to be a part of the play. They put aside their egos and inhibitions and get into the skin of the characters.”

The members of this group are people from different professions. One can find doctors, lawyers, IT professionals and students, who may not specialize in theatre or acting but just want to come here to unwind and relax. Says Nishali, a working professional, “This is the first time I have taken part in an activity of this sort. Back in college, I used to love reading but now with my hectic schedule, I just don’t find the time. So when I heard about this session, I was very excited. I am very happy to be a part of this group.”

Adds Sunitha, “The habit of reading may be losing its importance because of our fast-paced lives but we try to take time out on weekends and engage in it as this helps give us the much-needed break.”