KOCHI: Science may be a serious subject for children.
But a set of students from the Lady of Hope Anglo Indian High School at Vypeen has established that discussing science can be sheer fun. Their play, Newtonum Einsteinum Pinne Dasappan Chettanum , a satire on waste management, was adjudged the best at the recently concluded State Sastrolsavam in Kozhikode. The team is now qualified to take part in the Southern Indian Science Drama Festival slated to be held in Bengaluru between November 23 and 24.
“It’s the third time that a drama team from the school has been chosen to represent Kerala outside. While 14 teams from as many districts competed in Kozhikode, there will be 10 teams, including the Kerala runner-up Palakkad, in Bengaluru. The nationals will have a drama fest, without competition,” Vimi Job, physics and chemistry teacher at the school, said.
The play, scripted and directed by Jebin Jesmes, a researcher at the School of Drama in Thrissur and a regular on the theatre contest circuit, bagged the honour for the best drama, best actor, best director, and best script in Kozhikode.
Mr. Jesmes said he had approached the purely scientific topic on the use of science and technology for cleanliness from a satirical angle. “Normally, nobody would look at creating scientific awareness using satire,” he observed.
Having earlier experimented with various forms of theatre as an actor and director – he once created a play for mentally-challenged patients – Mr. Jesmes created an innovative set also for the performance. “The properties used on the stage when put together at the end of the play would look like a tree. That was a winner, and the idea struck me accidentally,” he says.
Darren George, a Standard 10 student who donned three different roles, was adjudged the best actor. He was the best actor in the district for three times in a row, said Ms. Job. According to her, students, teachers, and parents put their best foot forward to make the project a success.
“The school has been promoting theatre. What is interesting about the science drama fest is that participation at the national-level will confer extra grades on students in the SSLC examination. And, six of the eight students taking part in the play are from Standard 10,” she added.
