Playing the Play

Play: Final Solutions by Mahesh Dattani

Cast:  Arshida, Farsana, Jamseena, Jowza, Nishida, Ramya Narayanan, Ramya Pranoob, Roshna, Sajitha, Shameera,Sayana, Thasni Banu.

Directors: Rineesha, Saisree

Stage Director: Nuzhat Unneen

Camera: Hafsath P.U,Nikitha

                   Recently we staged a play of Mahesh Dattani, ‘Final Solutions’ in our class. We are happy to receive full swing cooperation from everyone in the class. We were surprised to see almost everyone taking up different forms and colours delivering an amazing performance. Now something from the director who is the ‘Abhimanam Mol’ of the class, Rineesha,

“It was a great experience for me wearing the hat of a director. That  was the first time I said ‘start, camera, action’ in my life which I don’t see happening again anywhere in the distant future. Initially I was not confident enough to play to play the role of a director, but with God’s grace and my co-workers’ support, it was made possible. I take this opportunity to express my deep gratitude to Saisree, the assistant director who always at my beck and call with cent percent sincerity. She was the official scene divider as our stage was the limited space of our classroom that carried out all the scenes. So she would pop up in the middle of the play and mark the scene and go. I can ramble on for hours if I let loose my experience with the play but that wouldn’t be fair and as everyone is equally involved, I think everybody will have something to talk about it.”

           Next going on to the actors (who by now have claimed to be professionals) are clamoring to share their gain from the enacting. Well, let’s have a random pick and hear what Farsana has to say, “I am so happy to be a part of this venture. It is as if I am in an interview now. The exposure was good and I was able to put my talent into use which I was hitherto unaware of. I played a secular character of Ramnik Gandhi which was not very difficult to act I am more of a secular person myself. Frankly speaking I am still not shook from the hangover and I see Jamseena (Aruna) as my wife and Roshna (Smitha), my daughter. I must say the teamwork was great and everyone has put their best.”

           Now, a little from the audience perspective; it was an edutainment to watch a play put up in our classroom space. All of them literally came as their characters demanded with proper costumes and props; Ramnik Gandhi (Farsana) in dhoti, Aruna (Jamseena) in sari with sindoor on forehead, Smitha(Roshna) as Smitha should be, Javed and Bobby (Shameera and Sajitha respectively) in trousers and shirt, Hardika (Jowza) as an old lady and Daksha (Nishida) appeared as a teenage girl and last but not the least, the Chorus (Ramya, Sayana, Arshida, Ramya and Thasni Banu) came in black with masks ( thanks to Febna for designing the masks). Altogether it was a delight for the eyes and some of were literally wonderstruck to see the silent mongers of the class to exhibit a praiseworthy performance. Of the lot, Jamseena, Sajitha and Shameera did exceptionally well.

          Though we lacked a bit on the technical side, it was rectified with the team effort and quick sense for practical intelligence. For instance, our first and second bell for drama’s beginning was the rhythmic slapping of an aluminum rod against the chair’s leg; an idea clicked in Saisree’s mind for the idea gallery she is. One good thing for all of us that emerged out of the play was that, we now know the play in full and is captured like a photograph in our memory and all this would not have been possible if it wasn’t for Aswathy ma’am, who motivated us and united the diverse people within us with great perseverance and grit. We take this opportunity to thank you ma’am. This write-up is a tribute from us to you.

IV semester M.A English.