Calcutta’s engagement with European dramaturgy, especially modern acting methods, recently inspired two full-length productions. Although distant in ambition and execution, both touched upon Moscow Art Theatre’s artistic interventions during the final years of the 19th century which led to the consolidation of realism in stage acting, especially with regard to the projection of human emotions.
Bidhannagar Kalpataru’s Natak Shuru Hachchhe (picture, right), written and directed by Debasish, was clearly inspired by Peter Rader’s brilliant dual biography, Playing to the Gods — a debt that the playwright should have acknowledged. This 150-minute work celebrated the legendary rivalry between Sarah Bernhardt and Eleonora Duse, two of the most influential actors of the European stage in the 19th century. While keeping them at the centre, Natak Shuru Hachchhe also dissected the life of artists, the touring theatre companies, and the aficionados and impresarios in a rapidly changing capitalist society where entertainment kept charting newer territories and crossed the Atlantic in the process.
In his distinctive, breathtaking pace, Debasish chose to cram too many elements, including Bernhardt’s personal involvement with literary stalwarts like Victor Hugo and Alexander Dumas and her string of affairs on the one hand and Duse’s tortured journey as an actor, emulating Bernhardt’s footsteps, on the other. Bernhardt’s famed coffin and her private zoo featured rather prominently, matched to some extent by Duse’s fascination with the mirror, which also emerged as a leitmotif.
Remarkably, the actors — mostly newcomers — came from the first session of the Modern Acting Course that Debasish conducts. None ran out of steam; rather, they kept the feverish momentum going, not to mention the constant shifts in stage architecture. Two guest actors, Asmita Khan and Dana Ray, essayed the lead roles of Bernhardt and Duse, respectively. Khan was effortless in essaying the diva with an adequate blend of vivacity and vulnerability. Ray’s athleticism reached a rare height as she unearthed the emotional turmoil of a tortured soul.
Rangapat’s long-awaited Hey Sindhusaras (picture, left) essentially charted Anton Chekhov’s relationship with Olga Knipper, from initial rifts in the rehearsal room of Moscow Art Theatre to their late marriage and life in isolation. Written meticulously by Ujjwal Chattopadhyay and directed by Tapanjyoti, the first thing that strikes one about Hey Sindhusaras is the large, multi-layered set designed by Sanchayan Ghosh with manifold playing arenas, including one on the staircase, at the director’s disposal.
The production started rolling with an impressive ballet sequence, underlining Moscow’s pivotal role in shaping the artistic contours of modern-day Europe. Chattopadhyay flirted with the timeline. As the play progressed, the dramaturgy got complicated, at times more than was desirable. Code mixing was attempted — Jibanananda Das’s poem, “Sindhusaras”, an unlikely ally of Chekhov’s The Seagull, started and finished the production, with Debsankar Halder lending the voice over for it. Deb Choudhury, the music director, employed the “The Internationale” too many times but finished the tale of love and languishment with a Rabindrasangeet — “Kar milan chao birahi”.
Apart from some striking visuals, Hey Sindhusaras kept one engrossed because of some inspired acts, especially the ones based on Chekhov’s short stories which featured Senjuti Roy Mukherjee and Sanjib Sarkar, who essayed Knipper and Constantine Stanislavsky’s parts, respectively. Sarkar’s act — although a world apart from the method acting that his character championed — suited the scene as Mukherjee stole all the scenes with her elegant gait and subtle charm. Tapanjyoti underplayed Chekhov’s passion and that worked.