The intimate Chandramandala seems the perfect location for the premiere of Bharatanatyam dancer Neewin Hershall’s new solo dance theatre work ‘Facade’. A graduate of Kalakshetra, who is currently based in Singapore, Hershall has been on this work for two years now, drawing inspiration from earlier works he has been exposed to.
The production opens with Hershall sitting on stage and putting on his salangai (ankle bells). As he gets ready for the performance, a barrage of text messages from a jealous spouse is projected on the screen behind. Hershall’s agitated responses are also reflected. These first five minutes are very relatable and draw the audience in instantly. As for the dancer, the show must go on and what follows is a calm performance of Siva Panchakshara Stotram.
In attempting to draw the Bharatanatyam dancer’s everyday reality into the performance space, Hershall interweaves dance performance segments, with music, theatre and film.
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A touching portrayal of Sarangapani’s ‘Mogudochi Pilachedu’ by dancer Vijna Vasudevan is conveyed on film. Created by the multifaceted Deepu Nair, who has also worked on the soundtrack for the production, the film has a rustic quality giving expression to personal history and memory. While the film on its own is exquisite, the transition in and out of the medium is abrupt in this, and a couple of other segments.
In a striking scene, a red sari lies on stage to represent a childhood love returned from the past. Hershall sits down next to it, picking it up tenderly to create sensual presence out of absence. What the portrayal misses is a prelude of sorts. With each dance piece, one becomes increasingly aware of the reality of an ageing body, with its imperfections and vulnerabilities. Hershall might have considered playing with this idea much more. In leaving it vague, the dance segments came across as literal and lengthy in parts. In Thillana, Hershall makes it clear that his body is giving way.
The meeting with death of the self is conveyed dramatically through the act of painting the face, Kathakali style, with a huge painted face projected on screen. When the image of a pair of feet tied together at the toes with a white cloth appears on screen, we realise that the everyday self also meets its maker.
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‘Facade’ appeared to nudge the audience out of its comfort zone. What is intriguing is that it did not distinguish fact from fiction, leaving the audience guessing. One felt the absence of a critical eye, that of a theatre director, which could have lifted the work and helped tie it together seamlessly.
Says Hershall, “I realise that there are some parts I may want to rework.” I ask why he chose Chennai to première the work. “I know here is where I will get honest feedback. I know that without criticism there can be no improvement in my work.”