Theatre Play- Palimpsest by IISU Theatrical Society

Mumal is working as a faculty of performing arts at IIS University. Her advanced Diploma students Mansi and Niharika has developed a play on 'choices.' Mansi has come up with this 'choice' concept as she has been witnessing these in her life. "Is it really my choice or is it a choice influenced by the society, parents, and many more?" is her question. Glad she began to think on free-will and choice.  

The write up of the play gives a good gist of it. 

"When we look down the memory lane, we find ourselves crawling, standing, speaking words ultimately to be able to make choices. Life gradually takes shape but in a conditioned way and a path is already laid. Even before we could for a concrete understanding of things, world and life, an already structured understanding is given to us and we walk in given boxes, on those fixated lines, not n=knowing what we really want....."

This play is about how a child begins to learn from her environment and how adults try to teach her or mold her into however they want. It begins with the struggle of working mother and then the struggle of child to follow a certain path and be restricted in it. As a child grows and thinks, she can do anything, society throws up  their opinions, values, judgements and try to guide her making her feel hopeless and as confused as she was in the first place. At the end, she takes up her mom's position and the cycle continues.

Developed from real life situations ,the students have developed this play.  Niharika and Mansi are the main protagonists of the play. Right from beginning of the life, they see how a child is influenced to set into the template of life which is created by many authors. 

Here, working woman is portrayed by Mansi. Niharika as a child. Niharika's captive performance didn't let me take an eye off from the stage.  Maybe, I was resonating more with the child rather than the adult. Some times, I found it difficult to take a phone and record as I didn't wanted to miss one moment of the performance. 

At the end as Niharika gets onto the ladder taking up her mom's role, the play ends. No sooner, she stays silent for five seconds, she couldn't stop breaking into overwhelming smiles. She covered her face with the paper in her hand. Mumal got onto the stage and began to share gratitude. I enjoyed witnessing those warmth raw emotions dwelled up in this promising artists. 

Everyone who were part of the play got on to the stage. Aditi mam, a supportive faculty shared how she could see her life in the play. "I've to live up  to the expectations of my parents and also help kids to live up to my expectations." It's very interesting how people juggle between daughter, mother roles and keep the ball rolling, I thought. 

In one way, she is striving to live up to the expectations and on another way, she's slowly trying to be a better mother but, still have some expectations, which a society has conditioned her in. Interesting paradox.

Mumal broke into happy tears as she witnessed people receiving it well and feel connected. Fabulous and wonderful efforts Mumal. Great work. 

It was nice sight to see Mansi and Niharika congratulating each other and sharing those warm moments of creating a piece which effected a lot of audience. Minutes passed and they were sharing the moments. A happy sight to see these young lads cherishing their experiences. 

More way to  go. This play would go places. 

On 16th, the same group is trying to perform a classic theatre piece. Excited to watch. Good one IIS 

Inquisitive of how these young chapess have got interest in theatre and pursued it. I asked, how they're pursuing it? 

To my surprise, I was told, they're pursuing some other major degrees(BBA, MBA, BSc and have a course called Career Oriented Skill Developement Course, in which they chose Theatre to pursue. 

It's good that IIS University has come up with such interesting courses exposing students to dabble with a lot of things in life rather than pushing them to be specialists in life. 

There are a few students who have excelled in it. Sad that their parents are not at all informed of what their children are good at. I was told that one student chose Fashion as COSD and made career in it. 

You never know what you love until you explore. Good initiative IIS University. Keep it up