The father of Cubist art, Spanish artist Pablo Picasso, once said: “Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.” Much what both artistes and artistes today look forward to do – wash away the dust (Covid-19) with their creativity and craft.
In the last six months, life for those in the field of arts, especially in theatre, has come to a standstill, to the point where a number of them cannot manage even two square meals a day.
Numerous individuals and organisations are undertaking initiatives for these artistes who have kept the culture and tradition of India alive.
One such initiative is #SaveThe- Stage by internationally renowned Akshara Theatre, founded by acclaimed thespians Jalabala Vaidya and Gopal Sharman. The initiative urges the common man to join hands to draw the attention of the government and corporate India in supporting arts and artistes.
Vaidya recently uploaded a video on Instagram to seek public support. “Today, we need you to come together as a community and support our cause #SaveTheStage.
We have come together with fellow artistes to make an appeal to our government to make some much-needed amendments to their cultural policies.
These proposed amendments lookout for artists and arts institutions alike and will hopefully help and encourage artistes to create new and preserve the old while living decently,” she stated. Sanjoy K Roy, Managing Director at Teamwork Arts, says,
“Our advocacy and fundraising programme, #ArtMatters, focusses on a wide cross-section, from the ragis in the gurdwaras to the baul singers of Bengal and Kathak and Bharatanatyam dancers to the weavers of magnificent temple and Banarasi saris and toymakers and theatre actors to stage designers and stagehands.”
The programme features over 450 artistes and artisans with a range of theatrical performances, including Agarbatti by Swati Dubey, Akshayambara by Sharanya Ramprakash, Andha Yug by Joy Maisnam, C Sharp C Blunt by Sophia Stef and MD Pallavi and Elephant in the Room by Yuki Ellias.
To keep theatre alive in this online era, Bengaluru-based Bangalore Little Theatre has devised a web workshop, My New World, that uses interactive and reflective processes along with theatre-based exercises to draw out one’s own experience, look at others around us and also bring forth our vision of the New World ahead of us.
“It’s a journey of reflection, sharing, learning, discovering choices and perspectives over 10-12 sessions. This workshop falls under our Theatre-in-Education programme,” says Project Coordinator, Minti Jain. Delhi-based Jazba Theatre Group (JTG) remained active throughout the lockdown and adapted to the new normal.
Actor Ishan Sharma informs that JTG is back with a series of online plays, and has already showcased its first online performance on September 19.
“All these plays have been rehearsed and directed online with all members contributing their bit from their respective homes,” Sharma informs. Prior to this, JTG initiated a campaign, Sambhav – Ek Pehel, to help artistes during May and June 2020 at the behest of its Founder, Anurag Das Mathur. “We pledged to bring smiles on those faces who never fail to amaze us with their performances on stage.
We offered support in cash, food, grocery, travel and accommodation to the artistes who were struggling to survive. We could extend our support to 50 beneficiaries based out of Delhi-NCR with the limited resources we had,” he adds.
Theatre artiste Kamal Pruthi who established Kaabuliwaala – a company that uses storytelling to preserve and revive ancient folk arts in India – says the theatre industry is full of graceful artistes and he salutes each one of them.
“No one has any work but they still maintain a positive spirit,” says Pruthi, who did three live shows in the last four months.
“This included one for a school in June at one-fourth the cost, but to receive the payment I had to send 33 reminders and threaten legal action. Even the compensation for three Doordarshan shows is yet to arrive. It is time these people realise that this money will go a long way in helping these artistes survive,” says Pruthi.
But he is optimistic that online shows will catch fancy of audiences. “I was joined by 1,500 people on my first online live, which increased to 4,500 over the next three days.
This is a clear indication of the popularity of the online medium today. More the numbers, the better it is for the artistes’ community,” he puts in.
The artistes, on their part, have begun making rounds to the Delhi’s theatre hub, Mandi House, not looking only for work, but also to begin their life afresh.
“There is nothing like shows in auditoriums with live audience. I hope people adapt to the new normal (wearing masks and social distancing) and theatres begin functioning soon,” says theatre actor, Aparna Singh.