CHENNAI: It is that time of the year when the students of Women’s Christian College (WCC) roll their sleeves up, get on stage, and collaborate to breathe life into a fictitious world and imaginary characters. From building castles out of cardboard and regulating the microphone’s volume; giving form to the character; fixing moustaches to create make-believe characters to adjusting the lighting, everyone is busy with the annual college play preparations.
A ritual for the past 109 years, the students are set to stage playwright Nikolai Gogol’s satirical masterpiece, The Government Inspector. The 90-minute-long play explores the terror that descends upon a tiny Russian hamlet when dishonest officials confuse a civil servant for a government inspector working undercover. “There is a need to choose a play with an impactful message. This play has a strong theme as well as comedic aspects, making it easy for the students to explore the connotations and understand the play,” says the director of the play, Regin Rose.
For the last two months, 120 students and 66 staff members from various departments have coordinated and collaborated through different committees to organise and manage all aspects of the event, says Eben Angel Pauline, faculty coordinator for College Play, WCC. Another faculty coordinator, Nora Vigasini, notes, “The college play is a 100-year-old tradition at WCC, adopted as one of the institution’s best practices. It provides a platform for creative and talented students to explore and exhibit their acting skills professionally.
Immersive art form
The director shares, “I come from a professional theatre background and I find the same here. The students are behaving like professionals, they are talented and the acting is good. Sometimes, I forget that I am working in a college.” He has been associated with the college for the second time to “guide” the students in acting. “I did not have to direct or instruct them much, I was here to support them because, at the time of audition, the students showed that they were talented enough,” he adds.
The auditioning began in mid-July behind the doors of the main auditorium. Some attended the session out of interest, some to explore, and some with experience. “One of the things I love the most about theatre is that it’s the most liberating art form. It has no bounds or limitations and is a place where all people are welcome on the stage. It is a pure expression of joy,” says Daksha Valli, who plays Anna, the governor’s wife.
With this belief and skills, 20-odd students formed the main cast of the 100 who auditioned. Names of the students were written against each character and a workshop was conducted to understand the nuances of the craft. According to Winova Moore, who plays the governor, “When I am on stage, performing, I see the audience, and it is entertaining to them. I like seeing that and it all almost feels like home now.”
Script to screen
The crew could comprehend the essence of the script and effortlessly stepped into the character’s shoes through this workshop. “Nikolai Gogol’s work is truly timeless as it transcends beyond his lifetime and not only that, beyond multiple political landscapes. The narrative still rings true, in the sense, that we are all clowns in somebody’s circus, regardless of whether we know it or not,” adds Daksha. For Sameen, who plays Marya, the governor’s daughter, “This particular play suits the current happenings in my society. So the situation portrayed is parallel to real-life circumstances.” She adds that the message is delivered humorously but seriously. “There is a song in the end about corruption. That is my favourite part and it shows that corruption or any illegal activity does you no good and you get fooled in the end.” In August, the cast and crew blocked scenes, positioned themselves on stage, memorised dialogues, and most importantly formed a “family”. “The main part of working with so many people was building a personal connection with them. It’s like we’re all a family,” says Krishna Sree, who plays Mishka, the governor’s servant.
Regin believes that by watching this play, citizens will be reminded of wrong practices such as corruption in our country. “This may not change anything but it gives a message — when somebody from the outside steps into our territory, only then do we look after the dirt. This should not be the case. We should always be aware and stay responsible,” he concludes.
The WCC’s College Play will be staged from today to September 7, 6.30 pm at the campus. Tickets can be collected at the venue.