Change of heart

Fine direction and engaging performances were the highlights of Bapi Bose’s “Morphosis”

November 10, 2017 01:15 am | Updated 01:15 am IST

AESTHETICALLY RICH A scene from the play

AESTHETICALLY RICH A scene from the play

A multifaceted theatre director, the hallmark of Bapi Bose's oeuvre is marked by constant search for perfection to create art that explores human condition and social contradictions confronting a man. These aspects of his art are reflected in his productions which have been featured at prestigious national theatre festivals from time to time. His latest production of “Morphosis”, which was presented by Sahitya Kala Parishad recently at Shri Ram Centre as a part of Mohan Rakesh Samman Evam Natya Samaroh, is yet another venture deeply steeped in his theatrical aesthetics. The award winning play, “Morphosis” is written by Rhishikesh Vaidya.

A play within a play, “Morphosis” explores fundamentals of the art of the actor, his complex and arduous preparation to create a vibrantly living portrait of his character. In this process of seeking excellence, he or she must display humility and commitment to the art of acting. It opens with the show of a commercial play with its star performer Prasad being lauded by his fans, especially young girls, frantically rushing to the green room to meet Prasad who is in the seventh heaven after the grand success of his performance. His conversation with his secretary reveals his arrogance. Pushing his way through the crowd and struggling with tough guards of Prasad, his struggling days friend Bhomick meets him. Their conversation turns into heated discussion about Prasad's talent as a great performer. Bhomick challenges him that if he really considers himself a great actor, he should go to Guruji to be cast in the role of Manas in a classic which is being revived after a few decades. A veteran, Guruji is a hard taskmaster, a persistent seeker of truth through performer's art. Through the process of strict discipline, regular rehearsals, he transforms his actors. Prasad accepts the challenge, facing a great deal of hardship and physical torture.

In his first encounter with Guruji, Prasad gets the taste of Guruji's violent behaviour aimed at unlearning what he considered as great acting but it is superficial, bombastic and pretentious. This is how Prasad's new artistic journey begins, a journey to discover the soul of his character. Finally, Guruji agrees to cast him as Manas, the protagonist of the play “Morphosis” which is said to have been written by great playwright Alberto in the era of Renaissance.

Now we watch a series of rehearsals of this play with Prasad emerging a new artist after each rehearsal conducted by stern Guruji who is fastidious and incisive. The process finally leads to the total transformation of a commercial theatre actor into a great artist of theatrical art. It is metamorphosis par excellence.

Holder of senior diploma in direction from in Institute of Indian Theatre Arts, Calcutta and a graduate from National School of Drama, Bapi studied design and theatre techniques at National Institute of Dramatic Arts, Sydney, Australia. He was also involved in Indian People's Theatre Association in Kolkata. These training and experiences in his youth contributed to enrich Bapi's artistic vision. Bapi has ingeniously conceptualised his production with opening scene depicting highly rated and immensely popular actor of commercial theatre in front of a mirror in the green room just after the show ends with tumultuous response of the audience which is set left down stage. And then the main curtain rises, focusing the rehearsal space of Guruji and a raised platform upstage. Guruji instructs his huge cast, telling them to have intense concentration on their characters’ emotional and psychological worlds, totally forgetting their personal emotions. With remarkable finesse just by depicting the climactic scene of metamorphosis, an illusion is created that the entire play has been staged.

Use of multimedia

One of the features of Bapi's productions is the use of multimedia. We watch on the screen upstage, the images of the process of metamorphosis in biological sphere and the pattern of changes in the style of acting and inner spiritual growth that takes place in an actor is depicted on the screen with imagery.

The production is superbly cast. Sahil Singh Sethi as Prasad gives an excellent performance, displaying his artistic journey from a pretentious and loud actor to an actor of substance with telling effect. Another powerful performance is offered by Suman Vaidya as Guruji. Akhilesh Dwivedi as the alter ego of Prasad, Bhomick, Swati Kumar as Disha, the co-actor of Prasad, impress the audience with their fine performances.

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