BENGALURU: Over time, Bangalore Little Theatre (BLT) has been getting many requests from people wishing to be a part of their productions. But with a limited number of 5-6 plays a year, there was no way for the theatre group to cater to this request. For the past month-and-a-half, however, they have been mulling over a monthly event series that could give people a platform to express themselves. The result? The Monologue Circle.
Open to 10 participants on the third Sunday every month, the first edition kicks off on Sept. 20. “Every edition will have a theme and participants can either write an original piece or present an existing one,” says Murtuza Khetty, a member of BLT. The first edition carries the theme of freedom and looks to explore questions like: How do you describe freedom in this new world? Where do you draw the line of social responsibility and personal freedom?
Khetty adds, “We thought this would be appropriate given the whole coronavirus situation. Besides getting a platform to perform, participants can also get peer feedback on their performance. Since we will upload clips of their performances on our YouTube channel, it also provides a chance to get more exposure.” Explaining the reason behind choosing this particular tool, Khetty says monologues, as opposed to dialogues, are a complete piece in itself and rely on no other external person or co-actor for its delivery.
With everyone confined to their homes these days, the format can be easier to try out than a dialogue between two actors. “More importantly, they can offer a lot in terms of speech and performance as well. You may not remember all plays but you will remember something like, ‘To be, or not to be, that is the question’,” says Khetty.
Last date to register is Sept. 15. For details, check BLT’s website