The Surrealists : An Absorbing Misnomer

The Surrealists

 From the house of: The Nautanki Company

 Written and Directed by: Tejodipto Panda

 I would like to start with how the director has been smart to name the play “The Surrealists” but not mention its genre anywhere. It wasn’t mentioned during the pre production promotions or by the emcee before the play began. A smart move indeed, because that controversy can be avoided this time, unlike Mind Duck where it was clearly mentioned by the Director that it was a “theatre of the absurd”, and it was evidently not so. The audience gave mixed reviews after the show. Some said Bravo to the amount of controversial terms and matters discussed courageously while others said “it did not work for me”. And as a reviewer, that confused me even more. I am not a seasoned reviewer yet, maybe that is the reason behind the confusion. Also, if you’re looking for the plot of the play, let me remind you that I am not summarizing It for you, I am going to review it.

Personally, the play worked for me in some places and in some places it didn’t. Suramya Pushan Dasgupta and Tejodipto Panda’s chemistry was delightful on stage (already waiting for Carcinogen to be staged in July for the very same reason). The whole cast of the Tughlaq boomed on stage. Reference to a real incident of Einstein visiting a city in Bengal and not getting an audience needs to be applauded. Be it Pradipta De, Nirvan Chaudhury or Rahamat Ali or the rest – the chemistry of the court was mind blowing. But someone who unexpectedly shocked everyone in the audience was Sayantani Mukhopadhyay. And I am not talking about the correct grammar, I am talking about her powerful stage presence. From mellow to stormy – she portrayed it all. Jeshika Kedia’s portrayal of Sarah Fatima and her imitation of Little Comrade Sarah’s diction on stage was, as we put it these days, ‘on point’.

However, it felt terrible when her fellow comrade lost her voice onstage leading to loss of coordination during the slogans. The magic of the moment was stolen by that one unplanned mishap. However, it can be forgiven. Also, I must harp on the fact that the entire plotline appeared to be very disorganized at times, and certain sub-plots seemed absolutely out of place. Certain humorous plot-twists and punchlines seemed farcical and slapstick, but on the whole, the entire play did evoke a certain amount of laughter. The wonderful usage of spot lighting must be mentioned and the burst of light while exposing the real story behind Rohith Vemula’s institutional murder and the satirical rap poetry in voiceover worked wonders. Accidentally, the play moved along the lines of Third Theatre more than any other genre, which was more or less, a bit scruffy.

The reviewer only hopes that if and when The Surrealists is restaged, The Nautanki Company would sort the scenes out and play around a little more with the storyline to connect the plots – owing to the genre not being mentioned specifically as Surrealism. And if at all it is meant to be a Surreal play, one must delete the magic realism involved in the plot.

Event reported by :- Priyadarshini Mukherjee.

Pictures by :-   Syzygy Productions
                     
                        Calcutta Cacophony

                        Sourya Chakraborty.

The Final day at the Theatre Exchange

The first day of The National Theatre Exchange ended on a very festive note, only to raise the expectations for the following day. Needless to say, the 502 people at the University Institute Hall on the 27th thoroughly enjoyed the time throughout the two presentations, and it all fell on the Mumbaikars to show their mettle to the Kolkata crowd on the following day. It was a very warm couple of days, and before their performance we had a light hearted conversation with the members of team AmyGo. Learning about their superstitions, their first "Hot"(and I mean it literally) experience of Kolkata, their yearning for the Kolkata special Aloo-Biriyani, was all very nice. And although, they were certainly a bit nervous, it was rarely sparking out from the lot, who were going to stage their 29th presentation of "The E.Q".

SCENES FROM THE BACKSTAGE :-

Smit, Moumita and Karan from the left.

Karan Bhanushali

Dhaval Thakkar

"Akhir yeh E.Q hai kya?" (What is this E.Q?)


Those who have been following the regular updates about the National Theatre Exchange, the background about "The E.Q" is no secret, a journey through the life of Albert Herman Einstein. A regular and average student during his early days, Einstein's life and I.Q has been a subject of wonder for his followers worldwide, and nonetheless the ones who have been regularly researching about this great man, are well aware of the fascinating life of this genius. The E.Q or the Emotional Quotient, an Hindi play written and directed by Amatya Goradia explores the three stages of this man's development. His dyslexic childhood, where he was a subject of bullying for his peers and teachers, his eccentric youth where he shrugged away all societal responsibilities in the quest to success, and in the end, the final stage when he finally achieves all the fame, respect and recognition in his life and retires to a desirable yet troubled state of existence.

Karan Bhanushali as Einstein

Einstein is dead, and his contemporary Thomson Harvey, played by Amatya Goradia, has stolen his brain on the look-out to decipher the secret behind his genius. He is ambitious and adamant at the thought that Einstein's brain contains something very different from his peers. Blink! The scene shifts back to the backdrop of the entire ruckus, the Einstein Quotient and his journey with the endless turmoils, disappointments, relationship disputes, and his own conscience troubles! Three Einsteins, Smit Ganatra, playing the young Albert, dyslexic, and weak in his initial stages, with his jocund outbursts of energy and a different aptitude towards creativity; Omkar Kulkarni, the Einstein in his stages of later development, toiling endlessly to get that one break which would not compel him to join the German army, insensitive and pushing away all his emotional attachments, and finally Karan Bhanushali, the matured, successful genius, in his American days of popularity and that final project which killed him from the inside.  All the actors were very well prepared and presented a fine performance throughout. Smit Ganatra's aberrant and childish performance as the young Einstein deserves a special mention along with Karan Bhanushali! The narrative technique was that of a supreme order, and this is that one point which places this play a place higher than most other performances occurring in this city. Entertaining and impressive, rapid and sensitive, coupled with the fine background scores and lights, there was not a single point in this play which failed to hit the soul of the audience. Amatya Goradia, Take a bow!

Amatya Goradia as Thomson Harvey

The dramatic events have been captured brilliantly through the use of appropriate gimmicks and subtle humour, which makes the complex storyline extremely attractive even for the irregular theatre goers! The very jarring emotional scenes woven very neatly into the story, such as the troubled relationship he shared with his wife Mileba, and the controversial affair with Elsa in the later stages of his life were carried out very smoothly! The emotional connection was well established throughout the entire presentation with its subtle handling of amusement and sensitive moments, and the closing stages of the play stands out in this department. The director's interpretation of the behaviour and eccentricities of this great man, may or may not be original, but that is indeed not the point, what matters is the fine-drawn analysis of one of the most complex individuals in the race of mankind, and the smooth dealing of all his personal affairs put in with the gradual development of the genius. Forget the I.Q, the Einstein Quotient is alive more precisely through the Emotional Quotient, because "Asli Duniya mein Asli logo ki bhawnaye kya hai, ye hum bhi calculate nahi kar sakte!" (Even I would fail to calculate all the emotions of individuals living in a real world)

Mumbaikars, Kudos! 

"The difference between stupidity and genius
is that genius has its limits"

One of the very first of its kind, this event made a considerable impact in the contemporary thespian circuit of Kolkata. Here's hoping and looking forward to many more such events of its kind, which will not only improve the conditions of theatre in this city but also re-establish Kolkata as one of the leading cultural hubs of the country, a position which she has recently lost! 


Write up by :- Anubhav Chakraborty.
Photographs by :- Swagato Basak.

The First day at the Theatre Exchange

Right from the build-up stages of the event, my enthusiasm and excitement for this project has not been a secret, sparkling everywhere through my posts, or my articles. And now that it is over, I feel hunted by the spirit of nostalgia, and the reminiscence of the suspense, the work load, and the deadlines! Most of my acquaintances and friends who were promised a nice time at the Theatre Exchange were not left disappointed and till this day, my whatsapp and facebook message inboxes are being flooded with Thank You notes and reminders to inform them about such events coming up in future!

Backstage chitchats : Mad About Drama

"I got a real taste of Kolkata and its grandeur in the thespian circuit" - was the remark of an acquaintance from Hyderabad, a to-be travel blogger who is on his roaming spree! To be very honest, this article (Read report) is more of a personal note rather than an event coverage, and I do not regret dropping down the doppelganger in the very beginning! If you weren't there for the show, you missed something you shouldn't have, plain and simple (Period)!


Day 1 :- 

The event commenced with a production titled "Au Revoir" from a very young bunch of school goers, The Third Mask. A story revolving around a group of friends dating back to high school to how their lives have changed after a couple of years, the unfinished love stories, the myriad number of people who once mattered the most they lose in the process of  "Growing up".  The narrative technique was noticeably weak, and despite the added technical glitches, it was a brave attempt on the part of the young lot. Criticising their attempt would be an immoral vandalising of the entire production. It was a realistic approach to catch the symphony of life, how people get tangled up in their quest to success, and forget the things that matter the most. Throwing light to the very beginning sequence, that conversation between a teacher and the apple of his eye, brings back our fondest memories in our childhood with that one special teacher we had always considered our mentor, I'm sure each one of us has that someone in our lives! Performed by Prithwi Banerjee, the student (whose performance was quite noteworthy) and Bedanta Mukherjee, the teacher, this sub-plot was quite intriguing and emotional to say the least. Shinjini Palit, who played the role of Maya Chanda, a troubled diva who is miserable and lonely even in the midst of numerous admirations, stood out among the rest. This talented lady's efforts were commendable and quite natural to say the least. Inexperienced yet definitely talented, it's quite an attempt to stage a production with two of the best troupes in the business and a few rectifications here and there, The Third Mask will indeed be a deserving competitor in the circuit.

The next show up on the charts was "With Love Calcutta" by Mad About Drama. For the thespians and the theatre enthusiasts in the city, this play is a well known household favourite, and that was clearly resonated through some of the audience members who had turned up for their second or third screening of the play. It was my first, and the kind of reviews that I had heard prior to the show made me all the more excited for the production, and trust me, all the appreciation fall short to describe the true mettle of the play! Written and directed by Aritra Sengupta and Ayanti Ghosh, this play is an episodic journey through the presentation of various strange vignettes which bring out the city's culture, people and its soul!

The Green and the Red, always at loggerheads with each other

Old Love during a riot

That "Basti" culture!

 It begins with a sentimental monologue from Neel, an amateur filmmaker filming a documentary on the city, played by Soham Majumdar, accompanied by Sayandeep Roy's Mandolin presentation. The live music featured throughout the play, made the production all the more enlivening, and the author of this article is still getting haunted by the various notes of the Mandolin performed throughout the acts!  For the Calcuttans out there watching the show it was a nostalgic journey through the strange tales and people who signify the spirit of this city, something that we Bengalis call " A peechutan"! Certain scenes stand out among the eight episodes, one of them being the coquettish tale of the bourgeoisie bengali snobs, portrayed by Sharmishtha Pandey and Sreeja Ghosh, with a stint from the simple yet bold Durgapur girl, performed by Adreeja Mandal! It's a smack to the faces of the Bengali ladies, who with their armada of Gucci, expensive bistros, imprudent fastidiousness bear a disregard for anything that doesn't speak English, and isn't another judgemental prick! There's no "preachy" interest or a rare tale being put up,  but an extremely common ludicrous facet from the Bengali community. Sreeja Ghosh's monologue at the end of the scene was one of the most stirring moments of the entire presentation, and she is arguably the best actor on the 27th night!

Adreeja, Sharmistha and Sreeja from the left

Another equally enthralling performance from her side was during the mother-daughter performance, a scene which depicts the everyday nuances in a Bengali household owing to the generation gap, Soumendra Bhattacharya's performance in this part as the naive, and irritating shrewd deserves special recognition! Throughout the entirety of the play, the lights and the video projections work extremely well in building up the background of the performance, and in my opinion, M.A.D's best till date (among the ones I've watched). It was specially engorging in the riot scene, performed once again by Sreeja Ghosh and Soumendra Bhattacharya, and during the mad-man Bishu's monologue! The other actor Soumya Mukherji, who played as much as six roles in this performance and got the audience enthralled in the other two most gripping vignettes of the play, most certainly won the hearts of the audience. His performance as Bishu, the eccentric, drunkard, and "suspicious" character was stellar, and the monologue was stirring with the absurdist elements resonating splendidly! His other performance, as a veteran thespian and the father to another thespian, played by Ayan Bhattacharji is nostalgic and praiseworthy. Amidst his baritone, his staunch rebukes at his son's style of acting, we find the resonating old spirit of the erstwhile Kolkata! Here we find the wails of a failed and wounded actor who is now chained to the merciless spirit of age and health! His heart aches for the desires he wishes to achieve, and the wrongs he couldn't undo, or the things he wishes he hadn't been involved in! After all, when the play ends, its the actor who is hurt, the character remains immortal and unharmed.

The Mad-Man, Bishu

Are you an amazing human being or an amazing actor?
The Father-son scene

The most melancholic and once again nostalgic (an emotion that has been associated to every portion of the play) scene of the play, is at the very end, and Soham Majumdar and Anisha Mandal do justice to that portion! Because after all when it comes to the "could-have-beens", Calcutta can be such a bitch...

Anisha Mandal and Soham Majumdar from the left

The reviews and the praises that I came across  do not entirely emote the feelings conveyed throughout this play. And my impression of the show, convinced me of the hype it carries! The first day of the National Theatre Exchange was a worthy beginning to the event of such magnitude and importance! Missed this one? Well, are you sure you would like to miss the next?

Article by :- Anubhav Chakraborty.
Photographs by :- Swagato Basak, 

10 Reasons why you should watch The National Theatre Exchange

This Wednesday and Thursday, Kolkata is about to witness a tryst with theatre like never before. Two renowned plays – one from the ex-cultural capital of the country and another from the city of dreams, one about the contradictions and another about “his” story. Needless to say the accolades speak itself for the excellence of the productions, but besides those here are ten more reasons for you not to miss out on the upcoming National Theatre Exchange by Mad About Drama. :-



1. A perfect blending in of two cultures.

Their cliched love for Vada-Paw, our stereotyped Rosogolla and Misti Doi. Their rightist affections, and the leftism embedded in us. Meagre stereotypes maybe? But in large, the exchange brings to you the Mumbaikar and Calcuttan culture in an enjoyable way!


2.       A perfect rendezvous to beat the heat.

As the heat gets unbearable, so does staying home all the time especially after finishing our favourite binge watching. So why not attend The National Theatre Exchange with unlimited scope of entertainment and getting away from the harshness of the scorching heat, at a place which is certainly the best auditorium of this city with an infrastructure to compete with the best of India.


3.      Einstein exploring his EQ.

His I.Q, has been a matter of mystery and awe for his numerous followers during his existence and even decades after his death. Einstein's Emotional Quotient on the other hand has been overshadowed because of it. It's time you explore that too, isn't a break from the E = MC^2 attractive?


4.       Love, Calcutta and with whom?


Your love, this city but who is your object of affection? The one who friend-zoned or the one with a boyfriend! Who cares you can always ask someone to join you for a good theatre performance.



5.       Because finally tissues will come handy.

For the ones who think they did not cry enough after watching fan, here is another opportunity for one and all. With love, Calcutta will manage to trigger all emotions in you and you can finally cry to your heart’s content.



6.       Exams will turn out exactly how they always do.


If you think not coming for this will help you focus on exam, well you know the answer already. So ease yourself up a little and let your mind be refreshed just before your exams

7.       Bombay needs to know how "MAD" (READ, M.A.D, mad about drama) Kolkata is!


What do you do when a drama troupe comes down from Bombay to stage their play for the people of Kolkata? Well you show them why they are staging it! So bring out all the Bengali spirit and encourage what you love the most.

8.    Learning about goodbyes!

As a very young group of people The Third Mask stage Au Revoir, the ones not familiar with the French will finally know more about it as the story unfolds. So knowing a little about goodbyes will help you bid farewell to those unwanted exes and nosy relatives.


9.     Getting to know new avenues?

Our favourite venue for bad coffee, lovely ambience,
endless cigarettes and political debates.

For the ones who have never been to University Institute Hall before will have a nice walk across college street as they figure out their way to their destination.  Also with The Indian Coffee house at a distance of two minutes and Paramount juice shop just beside, you know exactly where to quench your thirst just before the shows begin.


10.    Because you do not have anything better at hand…

Don’t let it be a boring Wednesday or a throwback Thursday, do something new and make your life a pepped up one as you become a part of one of the biggest events in Kolkata.

So now you know why it is so essential for you to go to University Institute Hall on the 27th and 28th of April and be a part of The National Theatre Exchange. See you all!




Article by Shramana Chakraborty, English Honours, Freshman, Rani Birla Girls College.

Meet the Amygos

AmyGo productions with Naseeruddin Shah and Ratna Pathak

"It is surprising that a young theatre group has attempted a complicated subject like Albert Einstein. The story telling is innovative and engaging."                                                                                                                               
-Naseeruddin Shah on "THE EQ" by AmyGo productions.


Just four more days until the maiden performance of AmyGo productions in the city! As Kolkata gears up for The National Theatre Exchange, ExPRESS Magazine representatives had a wonderful interactive session with Amatya Goradia from AmyGo productions! Their much acclaimed  multiple award winning play "THE EQ", which has been staged 28 times throughout the country, is scheduled on the 28th of April, at the University Institute Hall, beside Presidency University from 6:30pm.

• In another week, you're performing at Kolkata! What are your expectations from the event?

First of all we as a group are really excited to be a part of this unique exchange program between M.A.D and AmyGo Productions. Because we are performing for the first time in Kolkata, it is quite intriguing, as we have heard that Kolkata is a smart audience. We wish to deliver our best and put up a good show. We expect the event to be fun, joyous and meet the pinnacles of an authentic exchange!

• The story of Einstein presented in a non-cliched, quirky way, why don't you tell us something about the play and its progress?

“Einstein was one of the smartest personalities on planet Earth. His brain would be loaded I guess” is one of the common reactions I have heard from peer groups, which made me think about the depth of this spectacular personality. It was always his perspective and not just a high voltage functioning brain, which mattered. This is what struck me while I was researching for the project. Similarly, I was very much interested in his EQ (Emotional quotient) as compared to his IQ. We have been lucky enough to gamble on a “non-cliched” story telling and to receive a marvellous reaction from the audience. The troupe has now completed 28 shows in a couple of years and wishes to continue saying “his” story.

•  How did the formation of AmyGo productions come about? Please introduce us to the team members too?

AmyGo Productions formed while I, Amatya Goradia, was writing and directing a Hindi one act play called Rishta Electronic Taar Ka, which blew people’s minds and struck them emotionally. This motivated us to make experimental plays like THE E.Q, 30ML REPEAT, ADBC, SAAVAR, WOH CHAAR PANNE etc. All of us started off as Amateurs and we still think we have a long way to go. In this exciting journey, the production house gave birth to young enthusiasts like Karan Bhanushali, who has been a part of all the productions. Smit Ganatra, Aarushi Saxena and Omkar Kulkarni, the three being one of the best finds of the group have repeatedly delivered some outstanding performances. An energetic right hand, Dhaval Thakkar, has no fixed post in the production as he has his hands in all aspects of the company. Kalpak Bhave, who is a playwright and contributes to the content of what the group, wants to execute. Production team consists of Ishita Doshi who is also the set designer of our plays, Prachi Mehta, Rushita Champaneri who make our sets! 17 year olds like Mati Rajput, Manavi Keer and Dharmaj Joshi have contributed beautifully. The list will never end as more than 80 people have been a part of the group since 2013!

Omkar Kulkarni

• Mumbai has a rich and flourishing thespian circuit, probably the best in India! In your opinion who are the people who have contributed majorly to this?

Sachin Tendulkar wouldn’t be the God of Cricket if he didn't have a powerful base like Shivaji Park. The grass root facilitated his cricketing career to make him the best batsman ever! Similarly, the Inter- collegiate or the amateur Theatre scene in Mumbai has been superlative. The kind of competitions and festivals giving platform to young theatre enthusiasts is unbelievable. My skill has taken shape under the inter-collegiate theatrical platforms and I couldn’t ask for more! So I would like to mention Mr. Quasar Padamsee, who according to me is one of the biggest contributors on the table. Quasar and his entourage have strived hard to make contemporary plays and make things happen. There are Theatre Practitioners like Jehan Manekshaw(The Drama School Mumbai), Akarsh Khurana(AKvarious Productions), Amol Bhor(Marathi theatre contemporary) and many more enthusiasts who have gone out there and made some interesting pieces for people to relish.

• Have you been to Kolkata before? What do you feel about the Bengali thespian culture?

I have been to Kolkata while touring for a Gujarati Professional play in May 2008. I was 15 then. It was then when I started tasting blood and enjoying the commencement of the theatrical journey. Honestly, I don’t know much about the Theatrical scenario in Kolkata. I wouldn’t like to comment on the theatrical scenario, as I have no knowledge in detail. But I have seen With Love, Calcutta, which made me fall in love with the city, I must say.

• Thespo, Kala Ghoda, Bhausaheb, IPTA, the spoils have been endless, which one of these lot has shaped and influenced this theatre group the most to what they are today?

Bhausaheb One act play competition has been responsible for “Shaping” and moulding the production house as they let us experiment. Thespo is one platform which “influenced” our thought processes and made us think in depth. Kala Ghoda has been responsible to provide us with a national level platform and IPTA is responsible for making us understand the meaning of the word “creation”.

•  The youth thespian scenario is flourishing slowly and steadily in the country, what do you think would keep this growth constant and won't take it down after a certain point of time?

For constant growth we need to find ways to make money out of our pieces. I am being very honest. If we want to continue doing ‘our kind of work’ then we need to find ways to not only survive but to flourish financially. In terms of quality, I am sure theatre practitioners are always in a process to find good subjects and stories to say. So in terms of quality, thespian scenario will continue flourishing because of the enhancement of contemporary thoughts and understanding the craft better!

• What are your dream projects?

I want to build my own theatre! There are rules to apply for dates-

1) Amateur groups allowed and professionals are strictly restricted!
2) Just submit synopsis and book dates!
3) Dates will be made available for one and all! You don't need to be a full time theatre artiste. It is okay if you work at a call centre and rehearse all night to put up a production.
4) Express the best you can!
5) Rock the stage!

Apart from this genius idea, Thank you (Chuckles!). I want to make a musical once in my life. It is the first priority on my bucket list now!

•  What is your take on the theatrical exchange in the city? Just two sets of play, or a massive introduction of cultural exchange?

I look at a complete introduction to a cultural exchange as we are not only exchanging plays but also functioning and ideologies of two theatre groups. We get to learn a lot from each other.

• Why don't you tell us about some of the other most memorable plays of yours?

I remember doing a play called Gochi Shakuntala. It was a spoof on Shakuntala and Raja Harishchandra! The play was an out and out comedy and the process was fun! I guess sometimes it is great to do work which does not make sense at all but provides you rejuvenation and entertainment.

•  How would you like to take your organisation forward in the coming years?

I want to focus on quality and an honest approach. I want to travel with the group and attain experience. But my focus would be on saying stories which we genuinely believe in. Superficiality is something we want to avoid. 

Team E.Q

• Your message for the Theatre enthusiasts of Kolkata?

It is great that you guys are Theatre Enthusiasts! Just go out there and say stories you want to.



Amatya Goradia in conversation with Anubhav Chakraborty.

PRESENTING 'THE THIRD MASK'

The Third Mask

Numerous inspirations. One passion. Similar devotions. Unparalleled euphoria, and that little bit of talent. These were the essential ingredients that spiced up this drama troupe. The Third Mask are a family of individuals, with lofty aspirations, who hold the firm belief that pure expression is not only the result of sheer mimicry, but a culmination of the inner fire of passion and devotion towards one's art. Be it acting, Be it direction, Be it lights, Be it music. All of these together define histrionics and theatre in the strictest sense of the terms. Be it the limelight or the spotlight, they seek their euphoria on that stage. This 27th April watch them perform at the National Theatre Exchange! Before that let's know about them more as they talk about themselves in this interview with ExPress Magazine...




Tell us about the background of The Third Mask.How did you guys come together to form this group? 


-TTM - The Third Mask was a very abstract idea that was contemplated by three friends during a second language period two years back at Don Bosco School, Park Circus. Having witnessed a tremendous impact a good play could trigger, the three of us (Prithwi Banerjee, Soumyadeep Saha & Yudhajit Roy) decided to revel in this ineffable feeling called Theatre. It took us two months after our ICSE examinations to gather like minded people who gradually became a family. It is humbling that they had faith in us when others were just skeptical.

Prithwi Banerjee in C.H.U.P

 Being a bunch of youngsters in school, how do you all manage your academics & theatre simultaneously?

 -On a very honest note, we too are probably searching for the same answer. And then it strikes us. We don’t really feel the paucity of time in the academic field only because we’re still doing what we love. That might require you to sacrifice some nights of sleep or face the indispensable parental heat at home, but you can’t really let go of your breathing space. Theatre, apart from all its beautiful side effects, gives us that extra bit of energy that is more than enough for even the Science students out here to face the H.C. Verma duels.

 'The Third Mask'. What's the story behind this name for your group?

- Thinking of a suitable name was an ordeal. Even rummaging through the Oxford dictionary was not of much help. Our sole objective was to stand out and in Dramatics , all of us are acquainted only with two masks displaying contradictory emotions and it was then that we realised that nobody thought of a third mask for theatre. Hence, the name TTM- The Third Mask.

Tell us about your latest plays. What have you been recently working on? 

 -Being just over a year old, TTM has staged plays that have stunned the audience and at the same time, made expectations grow much higher. We’ve staged our debut production twice, with a wonderful feedback each time. ‘C.H.U.P’. (a tri-lingual dark comedy) was the most memorable journey ever. Then came ‘Mannequin’ - a production that we hardly thought we could execute when we faced the script first. This satire has to be the toughest project the team has thought of. We then went on to stage ‘Monocrisy‘ and now, the biggest platform awaits us at the National Theatre Exchange, where we perform ‘Au Revoir’. 

 As a theatre group, who are your inspirations?

 -There are countless inspirations. I think it would take the entire page if I were to name the individuals who inspired us but I think that the impact a few dialogues and expressions could have on the audience always stir us to hone our skills. I believe that the devotion towards the stage is more inspiring than anything else.


 Which genre of theatre interests your group more?

 -The very basis behind the name of this troupe suggests that we are too dynamic and restless when it comes to sticking to a genre. From tragedies to brutal satires and censor board-disturbing comedies, this team has lived it all. Needless to say, we’re totally unafraid to continue with our daring themes, no matter how anti-national they call us.

Few years from now where do you see The Third Mask?


 -TTM has always been solace for us. We never considered making a career out of it but some things should never end. Despite the fact that we will be taking different roads in a year we will not stop doing what we love. We intend to recruit more number of youngsters who share the same love for Dramatics so that they can continue with the group even if some of us are unable to. If everything proceeds according to our plans then I believe that TTM -The Third Mask will be doing shows nationwide.

The theatre culture of our country has always been very rich but there was a receding interest of the youth in theatre. Now when we see so many young theatre artists coming forward, what do you feel about the future of theatre in the next ten years?

 -There are two sides to all the young artists coming forth and forming ‘troupes’ in the recent times. There are some who are really honest about it and that’s what matters. These troupes work very hard day and night and give in their utmost deal of toil to make things happen and live up to the true elements of theatre and the stage. It is beautiful to have such people coming up and trying to beautify this age-long art in their own innovative ways. But then there are some who take refuge to this field only to apparently publicize their PR skills. When it comes to matter within, you won’t find an iota of it, and that’s what is disheartening. The will to do something should be accompanied by the right reason. All in all, ten years from now, this city will see a different era of theatre, for sure.

Share one of your most memorable moments with us.

 -The memory of the first production of TTM will be etched in our hearts. I remember that we got a standing ovation from an auditorium teeming with people. Basking in the appreciation for the first time on the stage after toiling for several days and conquering the fear of failing was in fact heartening. The first experience is always very special.

 If people are interested in joining your group, how can they do so?

 -We’ve just been done with the first phase of our recruitment procedures. TTM is welcome to one and all who share the same love for drama, with dedication at its prime bulletin. We’re always open to people who do their bit to contribute to this art. A simple procedure of recruitment following an interaction session is all a person needs to get through to join this family.

How does it feel to be able to perform at the National Theatre Exchange?

 -It feels great to perform at The National Theatre Exchange being held on 27th April with veteran groups like M.A.D and Amygo Productions. Currently this is the biggest platform we have achieved. We intend to be back with a stand alone production next year. That will be the biggest project of this group. We don't want to reveal much about it but we are sure that it is bound to make an impression. Touchwood!

Finally, what would be your message to our readers?

 -We’re too young to deliver any message as much, but we wouldn’t mind sharing a sentiment. As a team of students with lofty aspirations in the educational field, what made us come together was the strong will to do what we love, and what made us stand out was our honesty towards it. You still have people squinting at those daring few who happen to take up theatre as their profession, and that’s what we intend to alter. These intellectual practical guys are no more than a frustrated lot who never gathered the guts to lend a ear to their likings. What we have to do first is lend a deaf ear to these people generating negative vibes. Theatre has no obstacle in path but the pessimistic human mind. And your life is beautiful and short to listen to these fellows, so do as your heart says and have the maturity to know where to draw the line.







Special thanks to Prithwi Banerjee



Interview by 
Jaismita Alexander.
Co-founder: ExPress Magazine