BENGALURU: As you enter Bubbles Centre for Autism, tracks from Disney’s Lion King will likely reach your ears. The children are rehearsing for a play at Chowdaiah Memorial Hall on Sunday.
The script, adapted to the needs of the cast of 40 children — two above 18 years and the rest in the four- and 15-year age group — with autism, is at the tip of everyone’s tongue. “We have one adult for every four children to guide them,” explains Sarbani Mallick, special educator and founder-director of the centre at Bidarahalli Hobli, a few kilometres off Hennur Main Road.
It’s not merely the lines the children need to be reminded of — they often even have to be led in and out of the stage. “Even this is a huge challenge for them,” says Sarbani, keenly following the rehearsal through a monitor in her office. “The foundation for this has been laid nearly three years ago. We have already had two smaller-scale performances.”
These scripts were based on the children’s everyday experiences. This Sunday, they will perform within less-familiar territory.
Therapy using theatre is a part of the curriculum with theatre artiste Diana Tholoor coming in once a week to work with the children and train the faculty. “Even children with autism who have the faculty of speech have difficulty with eye-contact, facial expression, following instructions and interacting with each other. Here, you have one carrying the other,” Sarbani says.
Excessive sensory stimuli, like loud music, would also normally get them violent or crying. So a lot of thought has gone into even costume design and props. “But we have been gradually desensitising them to these because we want them to grow up to be part of society,” says Sarbani. “Let’s face it, they can’t have a perfect situation all the time.”
Diana, who has worked extensively with people with challenges, is happy with what the children have achieved. “I would challenge any normal adult to do as much,” she says. “I tell everyone I’m working with a group of highly intelligent children. They’ve learnt to step in for each other. Any director with a little bit of patience and sensitivity can do wonders with the likes of the boy who’s playing Lion King Mufasa. There’s no line he can’t give you.”
Some dialogues have also been adapted to become part of the narration by Mufasa. The text of all lines, however, will appear on a screen at the back for clarity.
Nevertheless, she will be glad after Sunday’s show, she confides. “There are several things not in our control — for example the children falling sick,” adds Sarbani. The two who play Pumba the pig and Mufasa the lion have been feeling under the weather lately.
In the rehearsal hall, the boy who plays Scar, protagonist Simba’s evil uncle, enters the stage on cue, but utters ‘jackass’ instead of his lines. Why? He has a headache because of the static from the collar mics. And his teachers help him cope — tell him to breathe deeply, and remind him that only he can control how he deals with a situation.
Sarbani says theatre has helped many children verbalise. “Usually, with such children, you have to deduce what they are experiencing based on their behaviour. So, this too is a huge step,” she says.
Diana has scripted the show based on the children’s feedback. The most significant deviation from the animation film is that Mufasa is not killed in the end because it bothered the boy who plays Scar. In the motion picture, Scar pushes Mufasa off pride rock.
“Our Scar kept saying Mufasa is murdered when we showed them the film for reference. The wickedness of his character bothered him. So instead, it ends with Scar saying, ‘Why should everything end in violence?’” she says. “And the rest of the cast reinforce the importance of love and coexistence, apt considering that it’s a Valentine’s Day show.”
A Special Edition of the Lion King, 6 pm, Sunday., at Chowdaiah Memorial Hall. Passes are available on Bookmyshow.