Hamlet the clown prince

On Saturday evening, we went to Rangashankara and watched Hamlet the Clown Prince. It was a 2 hour play. Here are some of our comments-

Abhay: There was a lot of gibberish and it was quite funny. It was a bit perverse. I liked that part the most. Not sure, but it was the best gibberish play ever seen by me.

Shiv: The fact that it was gibberish as well as English, made the play humorous. The storyline of Hamlet wasn't really visible, but that didn't stop me from enjoying it.

Aditya: It was a modified version of the real play and I prefer this one because of the humour. It wasn't like the Shakespeare type. I also liked the costumes and the make up.

Kaamil: I liked the play because it was a different type of play and had nothing to do with Hamlet.

Rhea: The face painting was innovative in a way. The characters acted well and the stage had appropriate props. The main character's name was Atul Kumar. He acted very well.

Akash: I haven't seen the the play. But I read the story. Hamlet The Prince of Denmark I mean.

Vaishali: I didn't see the play either.

Abhay: The white make up on their face was quite cool. I think Atul Kumar acted very well.

On Movement

Akash: Why did you want/choose to be a Balloon-seller?

Abhay: Because the last time I went to Cubbon Park, the first thing I saw was a man selling gas balloons. And all these joyful children buying them. I liked this sight, so I became a Balloon-seller in the play.

Rhea: How did it feel being a Balloon-seller?

Abhay: I felt good making different types of balloon shapes...a long tube...a round ball...animals....a dog. But as I was rehearsing balloons every class, it got boring. I felt happy when rehearsal got over.

Akash: Why were you the last to exit stage?

Abhay: I dunno...maybe because Kirtana told me to.

Kirtana: Don't be modest Abhay, tell the truth.

Abhay: I'm not modest! I'm serious. I don't know why I left last.

Aditya: Did you find miming difficult?

Abhay: It was not really very difficult. But doing the same mime for one hour, I just got hand-pains. But I think the mime went off well with all the hard work.

Aditya: I have a question for Akash. Did you feel walking in this way gave another effect to the performance?

Akash: I did it because it was different than just walking naturally on stage. If I was just walking naturally, I'd have had a few seconds on stage. This walk - VERY slow and just pulling yourself forward with your toes - I was able to observe everyone around me and felt like a character... someone who was not me.

Shiv: This is a question for all the actors who only moved, but didn't have text. Did you all feel minor? Did you wish you could have done a monologue?

Vaishali: I did feel bad in the beginning..but later I realized that it was part of the play and to me it seemed a major part. I could have, but then at the end I was still in the play and that's what counts. Life has some ups and downs...somethings in life just happen and you cannot always get what you want.

Rhea: Personally, in the beginning I thought that no matter what part I get, every part is a major part of the play. But then I did feel like doing a monologue.

Abhay: At first I wanted to desperately do a monologue but I didn't really get one, I had to do mime. I thought maybe in the next play I could do a monologue.

Akash: I wanted to do a monologue, but not many ideas were flowing in my head and also there were already many monologues. I wanted to do something else.

Cubbon Park Stories: Interview with Kaamil

Aditya: Where did you get the idea from?

Kaamil: Err...er....I was looking at all these people in the park and the Reporter stood out.

Shiv: Was your final story similar to your first one? I mean, how much did it change from your natural thoughts through the process...

Kaamil: It changed quite a lot because you kept getting new ideas along the way..to improve the story. Like, I started adding different stories to the main story line...people I came across in the park.

Aditya: What was your favourite part in your story?

Kaamil: Talking about failure...all the jobs the Reporter lost and how he finally now has one. His job is now collecting stories.

Shiv: Do you still feel you can change things in the story? Give me an example.

Kaamil: Ya...the story can be improved. Like I could talk in more detail about the characters I saw. Adding their emotions and how they looked and what they were doing.

Aditya: What did you feel about the camera effect?

Kaamil: It was better with the camera because it's like you're there and you're actually looking at those people. Because I was looking just through the camera, capturing people's actions...like what they are doing with their hands...how they're standing. And it's all projected on the cyclorama, so you see actors and projections of the actors.

Shiv: Don't you feel losing 7 jobs is kind of unnatural?

Kaamil: It is unnatural but in a play you can exaggerate. It doesn't always have to be reality.

Rhea: What was your overall experience during rehearsal and the show?

Kaamil: It was something different...because most plays have a given script and are not unique..this was a different way of presenting a story.

Vaishali: How do you think you played a part in the whole structure?

Kaamil: By collecting all the stories and linking all of them together. And by going around and capturing the enacted images on video. Thus the Reporter is the Witness to all the stories.

Shiv: Leaving yours aside, which story was the most interesting?

Kaamil: I thought Vikram's story because of how he came from California..the drugs...and then wanting to open a bakery and bake bread.

Aditya: Did the music affect your performance?

Kaamil: I chose Where is the Love by Black Eyed Peas and the song kinda put the story together. It was then not only speech, but the emotions of the music also affected the theatricality.

Shiv: Do you feel that letting uncensored music play was fine?

Kaamil: Ya, it was.

Abhay: What did you learn by doing this play?

Kaamil: I learned, like, the way different people behave...and act...and the different types and ways of living life.