CHENNAI: Everyone who’s acted in a play in Chennai or attended one, knows the name Michael Muthu. Despite being one of the oldest names on the scene, he’s possibly one of the most approachable directors you will ever get a chance to meet. He’s usually wearing shorts, even on stage day. And while the norm for most groups before the curtains go up is to say a quick prayer, ‘Mike’, as his actors call him, leads with a completely different tradition. “We form a circle and yell MERDE,” he reveals with a laugh. “That’s French for shit,” he translates.
Looking back on 25 years with the Boardwalkers - boy, they’ve had lots of it! From actors throwing temper tantrums to having sets collapse mid-play, this veteran, who’s brought the city everything from Quentin Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs to Peter Shaffer’s Amadeus, has seen it all. Although, he admits, “The biggest problem that we’ve had through the years is running out of funds.” There were years with no productions and those with collaborations, simply to share costs. Last year, Mike recalls, “I asked 40 of my friends to help out, and each one of them put down 5k to sponsor our shows. 2015, however, is looking up. Way up. With 12 shows all ready to go — kicking off with a Doors tribute this weekend to much loved productions like the Sound of Music, Shrek and Shakespeare in Love — it’s evident that the moolah is not a worry. And the director, who is also popular for making his own sets, is more than excited to get the 25th anniversary year of the Boardwalkers on the road.
However, there’s no doubt that one show on the list will be most looked forward to than the rest. It’s the production that started it all for Mike back in 1991 — Jesus Christ Superstar. In case you’re wondering about how the name Boardwalkers came to exist, he rewinds to a year before, in 1990. “We were at the open air theatre in IIT Madras, making preparations for the play,” the director recalls. The actors had been cast, the songs were in progress, but the group, at the time, still didn’t have a name. “Boardwalkers came to be because that’s what a stage is made of — wooden boards,” Mike relates with a smile. “So of course, any actor who takes the stage is a boardwalker!” he adds with a laugh.
Can we look forward to another 25 years, we ask Mike. And the director is candid with his response. “I don’t know, maybe.” He adds, “Or maybe, this will be our last. But this year is going to be packed, and I think it’s better to burn bright and burn out than slowly fade away.”
It’s hard to disagree with the man who’s known sets, sound and lights even longer than he’s known his wife! So we raise a toast to Michael Muthu’s big 25, and instead of ‘More’ we say ‘Merde!’
The first show of the year, Tribute to the Doors will be held on January 10 at The Museum Theatre, Egmore. For details. contact 9841248853 or 7200048853.