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 And She Spoke - Yadavi Shakder Menon e-mail: yadavishakdhermenon@gmail.com Photos: Vinay Tiwari July 10, 2024 Imagine sitting in pitch darkness, enveloped by the soft melody of "Zindagi Kaisi Hai Paheli"; with legs stretched, eyes shut, allowing the music to engulf your spirit. A girl sitting close by, munches on a packet of chips, her feet gently tapping to the rhythm, and slowly begins to synchronize it, to the transitioning but soothing voice of Farida Khanum. Across the room, two girls share whispers and giggles over a game of cards, their laughter getting lost in the music. Just behind them, a woman sits frowning at her unpacked suitcase, her mind elsewhere.  A girl enters from the left with a pile of freshly washed clothes, still warm from the dryer. She throws the pile on the floor and vehemently looks at it, contemplating whether to fold them or douse them in kerosene. She quickly decides to rest her head on the pile instead and take a nap. Nearby, one girl lies on her stomach, scrolling through her phone, while another reclines on her back, absorbed in her book. This scene of casual procrastination fills the space with a sense of serene aimlessness. This tranquil moment is gently interrupted as the music fades. A girl with two braids, each tied with a red ribbon, steps into the spotlight from the right. The spell of imagination breaks as you watch her move slowly towards the centre of the stage, the spotlight following her every step. Her eyes glistening, searching for the words that get eaten by the silence in the room. As she reaches the centre, she softly utters, "Amma," her hands resting on her rounded belly. She drops to her knees, and the well-lit stage slowly fades to darkness. Such is the poignant opening of 'And She Spoke', a dance-theatre production, directed by Vaibhav Arekar and Sushant Jadhav, presented by the Sankhya Dance Company. This production delves into the stories of ordinary women - not those born into royalty or those who have achieved fame, but regular women with routine experiences. These are the stories of common, "contemporary" women - average and relatable, filled with genuine struggles and emotions.  Developed from an online research lab during the lockdown, the "process," as Arekar describes it, began by blending poetry and dance to convey the stories of women around them. Most narratives emerged directly from the dancers, exploring themes like harassment in public transport, breastfeeding, child sexual abuse, dealing with ex-lovers, and more. "And She Spoke" transcends the traditional scope of Bharatanatyam and other classical forms, embracing a flexible approach where movement becomes a medium for storytelling. The production merges live singing, spoken word, solkattu (rhythmic syllables), and immersive movement, creating a multi-sensory experience that breaks free from the confines of conventional dance-drama. The narrative unfolds in a series of vignettes, each focusing on different aspects of women's lives. From the banter and lazy drawls of procrastination to the gravity of domestic responsibilities and the pain of personal trauma, each scene is meticulously crafted to resonate on multiple levels. As the stories swing from light-hearted to serious and back again, the audience is drawn deeper into the emotional landscape of the characters. By focusing on the mundane yet profound experiences of ordinary women, the directors avoid the trope of heroic or exceptional femininity in favor of relatable, authentic narratives.  While 'And She Spoke' offers a nuanced take on themes explored extensively in theatrical productions and nukkad nataks, it struggles to stand out amidst similar narratives of women's everyday challenges. Despite the aesthetic precision and evocative vignettes, the production's storytelling feels a shade disjointed, lacking a cohesive narrative thread to bind the diverse experiences into a unified whole. Directed by Vaibhav Arekar and Sushant Jadhav, the male perspective brings a fresh, though external, lens to these stories, adding complexity to the portrayal of contemporary womanhood. This direction enriches the production with a mix of insights, yet it also raises questions about the authenticity and depth of representing women's lived experiences.  Bharatanatyam dancer Yadavi Shakdher Menon is a disciple of Guru Geeta Chandran for the last 13 years and an active member of Natya Vriksha Dance Collective. She is currently pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Social Sciences and Humanities at B.R. Ambedkar University, Delhi. |
