HER VOICE
- A DANCE / THEATER / PUPPETRY PRODUCTION
by Vasanti Sankaranarayanan,
Chennai
e-mail: vasanthi40@yahoo.com
October, 2001
Her Voice - a
voice which is being heard prominently all over the world was once
again emphasised in a dance theater puppetry production staged by
Arangham Trust and International Womens Association (IWA). This venture
is the result of a collaboration between Bharatanatyam dancer, Geeta Chandran
and Puppet maker, Anurupa Roy. The script was written by Rajeev Chandran,
the music composed by Shyam Banerji and the narration done by Kalyani Menon.
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timeliness of the production lent it a special focus. In a war torn world,
when a world war is almost knocking at our very doorsteps, it is indeed
courageous to voice the view that war resolves nothing.
The protagonist,
a woman, also points out that it is the women and children, innocent bystanders
witnessing the wars, who are the main victims and sufferers. The producers
of "Her Voice" do not hesitate it calling this production "a manifesto
for sanity in an incrementally insane world". |
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As it deals with
war, a cruel and horrible power game, and with women who have always been
marginalised and oppressed by dominant forces, one cannot expect any humor
or joy from this production. In any case, why should we laugh and feel
happy when the future is so bleak and forlorn? The tone of the entire
production is that of a lament - a lament for the loved ones killed for
no fault of theirs, a lament for the fragmented and fissiparous world,
a lament for the value systems, which are based on the creed of violence,
senseless killing and power play, which benefits only the aggressors. There
are words in the script bringing out this desolate feeling. "Every sense
is invaded by war. The smell of war. The feel of War. The sight of war.
The taste of war. Has this war invaded our genes?" We are already
late in asking this question. But, even at this late hour, it has to be
asked; maybe, then a gruesome and purposeless war, which may wipe out the
human race itself can be averted. The artists who have collaborated and
evolved this production should be appreciated for their sensitivity to
this current and topical theme.
The production
is based on the well-known tale from the Battle of Kurukshetra, in the
epic, Mahabharata. This war "is often labelled a war for Dharma". But,
Draupadi, the protagonist, who at one stage becomes the representative
of all women all over the world, questions the efficacy of this statement.
She has been made the cause of the war by the patriarchal literature, the
Epic itself. She is called the "Kritya" or the one who caused the war.
Ideologically, this responsibility for the war and conflict being placed
on women is very typical of patriarchy. So, the modern Draupadi, while
protesting against the futility of war, is also exonerating her role in
the eruption of war. Even in this production, Draupadi is shown as partly
responsible for the war. Her desire to take revenge on those who humiliated
her is underscored as the main reason for the war. But, we all know, that
the main reason was the competition and power play that existed between
the Kauravas and the Pandavas, which caused the war. This writer cannot
help wishing that the Draupadi in this production had touched upon this
aspect of the Epic a little more
emphatically.
One of the
interesting aspects of this production was the interweaving of the dancers
and the puppets and puppeteers. The puppets are visualized as the alter
egos of the protagonist. There were different kinds of puppets - stylized
as well as figurative puppets, puppet-puppets and human puppets, the dancing
puppets as well as static puppets. In fact, the puppetry and the dancing
were not well balanced. The puppets tended to overshadow the dancers most
of the time. Some more of dance may have energized the production.
However, the puppets by themselves instilled new dimensions in this production.
The most remarkable puppet was the big white one made of sponge - just
a face and two hands - which remained as an installation in the background
and moved in wherever needed. The movement of this puppet was especially
good. The human puppets were very effective, but their movements were clumsy
and could have been choreographed better. The puppet, which disappointed
me, was the main "Draupadi" puppet. Its movements were clumsy and manipulated
in an obvious manner.
The music was
good and created a good ambience for the production. The lighting was good.
The other aspect of the production which somewhat negated the whole production
was the wordiness of the script. Everything that had to be said was said
in the script. The emotions were all conveyed through the voice of the
narrator. So, there was very little left for the dancers to communicate.
The wordiness of the script tended to give a propagandist, agit-prop touch
to the entire production. A fragmented and more suggestive script and a
little less literal interpretation by the dancers would have enhanced the
production. But, as the producers themselves are treating this as an ongoing
and changing piece, Her voice would evolve in a better form soon.
As all experiments,
especially experiments which try to meld different art forms are bound
to have edges in the beginning which have to be refined and smoothened,
Her Voice also has the possibility to change and evolve in a newer and
better form soon.
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