Shilpa C B
A motley cast
THE last Saturday of every month, a motley crew comprising doctors, students, BPO executives
gather around to spend three fun hours together. What they share in common is their love for theatre and their desire to do something meaningful on a day off.
Joining these “dots” or participants who are aged anywhere between 15 and 65, and creating an atmosphere for pushing the boundaries of creativity are Rahul George and Meenakshi Mehta, the energy behind Join the Dots, an outfit that seeks to “make theatre work for you”.
An assortment of professionals and theatre lovers descend once a month to bring theatre alive in their own way, discovers Shilpa C B
That theatre is “working” for the regularsis palpable in the energy in the small room where the workshop is progressing. It has been working very well for final year B A student Onooja Bhuyan, who swears by these sessions. “I have been attending them for the last two years and have found them to be very helpful. That is because we are not directed here, but encouraged to open our minds to newer possibilities,” she gushes.
Onooja says that she has acquired a sound foundation that would enable her to join acting school and pursue an acting career soon.
For Dr Daya Prasad Kulkarni, fondly called doc by his fellow participants, his engagement with theatre as envisioned by Join the Dots works at a whole other level. The doctor decided to take to acting when he shifted from wildlife photography to photographing theatre adaptations of literary classic. “I wanted to understand the nuances of theatre so I would be able to take better pictures and also, so I could interact with my patients better,” explains the long-haired consulting physician.
Unlike most other workshops which require you to sign up for three or four sessions at a time, Join the Dots offers you a taste of theatre in a three-hour workshop. “You can try out one session and if you like it, you can come back and sign up for a year,” says Meenakshi.
Despite the format of its functioning, Join the Dots has managed to stage full-fledged productions in the last year. “When we put up a play, we have practice sessions every weekend for a month. During these rehearsals, the participants themselves work on all aspects of the play including scripting and directing,” explains Rahul.
It is this aspect that attracted Karthik Ramadas, a BPO executive, to the weekend activity. “I used to write short stories and wanted to pursue it seriously. These workshops gave me an opportunity to dabble in scripting,” he reveals.
It is not just serious intentions that bring one here. Many walk in looking for a fun way to destress. There are others who want to find self expression without bowing to demands of a director, says Rahul. One can clearly see that this freedom truly “works” for the many participants enjoying an animated afternoon.
Join the dots 