I have always nurtured a dream of having a travelling theatre company. I mean we travel, but what I really mean is, a company bus, preferably air-conditioned, and a month-long tour.
Like the band in Almost Famous . Driving from city to city, performing in every venue possible, and making ample time to chill and discover every new place. This dream, however, is as yet unrealised. Because it will need time, investment, immaculate planning, and blanket dates from super busy actors. One day perhaps.
Not that I’m complaining. We have performed in close to 30 cities in India, and in two other countries. Three, by the end of the year. In fact, of the eight shows we performed in July, three were outstation, two of which were first-time cities for us. And that’s what this is going to be about.
First up was Baroda. Or Vadodara, if you prefer. It was not our first time there. A few years ago, we were regulars there with our plays for children. A ‘chapter’ of the British Council would host us. Once they put us up in a fancy school with an Olympic-sized swimming pool. Later, I believe that organisation was disbanded.
Another time we went to perform for an ad agency because the boss had caught a show of a play in Mumbai and found it uncannily relevant. I remember performing in a huge auditorium, with limited lights, and screens to project the play to audiences further back. Later, the aforementioned adman had us over for dinner, and made us question the dryness of the State.
This time around in Baroda, we performed at the C.C. Mehta Auditorium on a very rainy day, and attendance wasn’t ideal. But the set-up was smooth, the tech team was helpful, the show was good, the snacks were amazing, and the adman was there, with his father-in-law. As were a couple of members of the closed chapter. And that felt nice.
Checking out Chandigarh
Next up was our Chandigarh debut. Somehow, it has always been a city I have passed through. Or stayed the night at because I was passing through. I’ve always been curious about Chandigarh, and not just its ‘geri’ route shenanigans.
A very close friend, and an integral part of the theatre group, hails from Chandigarh. Of late I have discovered that a few more friends are from there. And in all the conversations about the layout, the food, the people, the music, there has always been a mention of Tagore Theatre.
When we reached there, I knew why. It wasn’t just because of theatre-watching nostalgia, or stolen smokes and kisses in the backstage area. It was because it is, quite simply, a magnificent space. Beautiful from the outside, gorgeous from the inside, and maintained better than most venues I have seen.
And it has staff members dating to the 60s, who are enthusiastic, immensely knowledgeable, and just delightful to interact with. Most of them, anyway. The turnout was good too. And the audience was cultured and well-behaved. And the dinner at Swagath was epic.
The coup de grace, however (yes, it destroyed us), was Gaiety Theatre in Shimla. Our first time performing there too, and the moment we walked in, we were blown away. I hope there’s a photo of the sheer beauty of it somewhere around this text, and trust me, the best photo doesn’t do that moment justice. We were silent, in awe. One actor was on the verge of tears. It was like we were drenched in history. Or like we had walked straight into The Prestige .
Built during the reign of the British, and given a conservational makeover by the genius Ved Segan (who also has Prithvi Theatre to his credit), it was unlike anything we had seen before; and with the best acoustics I have encountered. It helped that the weather outside was amazing, and the mist was rolling in over the Mall, and we got terrific pictures for Instagram accounts, and that the coffee and carrot cake from the place opposite was delicious.
Losing one’s heart
But it was the theatre that stole our hearts. It is nothing short of magnificent. And the audience matched it. Perfectly groomed Army folk, endearingly romantic retired couples, and the young and evolved who have decided to leave the chaos of the world and live in the sanctity of the hills. Leaving Shimla was hard for us. In fact, one of our team members stayed back on a whim, to soak it in some more. We had mundane pressures back home, but we will go back, if it’s the last thing we do.
This month, we head back to the Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Hall in Pune, our regular place in recent times. We go armed with two local legends in the cast, so hopefully there will be hordes of Pune people watching.
And then we go to Chennai, for another edition of our favourite theatre festival. If you’re reading this, you know what I’m on about. We’ve done Chennai a fair amount: Sir Mutha Venkatasubba Rao Concert Hall, The Music Academy, Kamarajar Arangam, even the Hyatt, but it will be our first show at Museum Theatre. We’re nervous and excited. Come cheer us on?
The writer is a theatre producer and director and hence often broke. To cope, he writes and directs films and web series and occasionally acts, albeit reluctantly.
