Chennai theatre is in good hands

It was one of those sessions where the man of the hour generously opened up the floor to anyone who had something to say, asking more questions than answering them. Playwright Mahesh Dattani, whose play Final Solutions was staged over the weekend in the city by MYT, directed by Abhinav Suresh, interacted with cast members and other theatre enthusiasts on Saturday.

Everything from nepotism in the casting process, character hangovers, including theatre in the school curriculum to the difficulties in finding funds for productions here in the city was discussed. Speaking about an automatic hierarchy that is known to exist in the theatre society, Dattani said that it was only okay as long as the structures weren’t formed at the cost of decisions that had artistic merit. “Self-indulgence and favouritism are nothing but counter-productive,” he shook his head, as if personally embarrassed on behalf of the theatre community.

As the introductions went around the cozy circle, what Dattani realised was that though most participants had started off their theatre career as early as school or college, they didn’t take themselves seriously until they had been part of a professional production. “This is the kind of hierarchy that is set in our culture. It is to do with our concept of age and seniority. These distinctions are very much a frame of reference we tend to make, but may not be true in reality,” he rued, adding that there have been college productions that he thought were better than some professional shows, much to the delight of the young gathering.

“Theatre, and any art for that matter, is about blurring boundaries. How do you grade art?” he questioned, as an attempt at further explaining his stance on judging the quality of a production.

After establishing that theatre is about pushing people into places they normally don’t enter, be it as actors or audiences, Dattani said lesson number one for any theatre enthusiast is to shift perspectives. “We need to learn to see from another point of view,” he said. “No perspective can be seen as less than another. Understanding this will make you a better actor and a human being.”

Dattani, after surveying the roomful of eager youngsters who had gathered to listen to him, smiled a satisfied smile, “Chennai theatre is in good hands.”