“It is a little haunted. But that’s okay, just come up,” Rohini Rau, of The Little Theatre, greets me on the mobile phone, as I find my way through the darkness into the Cheriana space in a dingy building in Nungambakkam. A group crowds around candlelight to rehearse a play. They are surrounded by debris from the cyclone. But, Vardah has not wavered their enthusiasm. They have pressing matters at hand, like their 22nd Christmas Pantomime show.
December is when The Little Theatre folks roll up their sleeves and do what they are best at; entertain their audience with action, drama, dance, music, and humour. Their pantomime show is a much-awaited annual festival than just a play. Children and adults have a great time watching this show that’s peppered with references to popular Hollywood films, local innuendoes, and Kollywood.
Krishnakumar, or KK as he is popularly called, is the captain of this crew. He promises that the show will be satisfying, with all the right ingredients, from music and dance to stunts and comic dialogues. KK, who has directed and written the script, says the audience can expect “grand sets and spaceships. We have people performing the craziest stunts, which you usually find only on screen”.
A young and peppy crowd, trained in singing, dance and martial arts, makes up the cast. Around 20 interns are helping them with the sets. Every year, they get a unique bunch of people, says KK. “Their characters shape the play. Panto has a set premise. But, it is unique because of its cast. This is one reason why I am so in love with them every year.” During the final days to the show, the rehearsal runs from three to eight hours. But, for the young bunch here, these sessions hardly count as work. Says Maya S Krishnan, who plays one of the lead characters, named Kabali: “This is a happy place for us. Sometimes, when I am all depressed and sad, I come here.”
Even though there is a strong theme of friendship and loneliness, the entire play has been treated in a lighter vein. “You have so many interesting characters, such as the pantomime dame; a guy who plays a seductive female and has fun interactions with the audience. And, the baddie is so loveable. His comebacks are ‘vere level’,” she laughs.
The whole cast and crew consist of around 40 members. KK says the biggest responsibility was to make every actor feel accomplished. “When I started out, I had never seen a show with so many characters. One of the best feedbacks for my show was that every character left a mark on the audience. I want these people to cherish this experience for a lifetime. We struggle hard every year so that everyone gets their due.”
Star Warz: The Panto Menace, will be staged at the Museum Theatre on December 16, 19, and 20 (7 p.m.), December 17 and 18 (3 p.m. and 7 p.m.) and December 21 (6 p.m.). To book tickets, visit thelittletheatreindia.com.
