Brecht’s “The Caucasian Chalk Circle”, despite having been written around the end of World War II, is still relevant in today’s World. Shudrka’s play ‘Oka Anokha Roopkatha Chalk Circle' based on Brecht’s play is adapted in the form of contemporary theatre and developed considering the present social and political issues happening all over India. In this play four different languages are used considering the fact that India is a nation where people speak different languages and have diverse cultures. The actors are from various parts of India and speak various mother tongues - Bengali, English, Telugu & Hindi. These are the four languages used in this play.
One may see how people from different places communicate and understand each other without having any prior understanding of each other’s language by the use of the theatrical language. The play starts with farmer’s agitation (which had happened in Punjab, India over the Farm Bill) and one of the farmers suggests that they stage a play as a form of protest. They perform the play that they have been practicing for the past few days. But what about the props and costumes? ‘We can utilise whatever is around us as props’, someone says, ‘and whatever we are wearing can also be used as costumes’. The drama begins and as it progresses, we learn more about the stories
of Raja (Georgi), Suvedarni (Natella), Dia (Michael), Suman & Suma (Simon & Grusha) & Mustak (Azdak).
In this play there are 15 characters on stage. Play is designed in such a way that the production cost is minimal and can be staged anywhere, whether there is a stage or not. All the characters assume the roles of farmers, peasants, soldiers, Georgi, Natella, Fat Prince (Ganesh), Simon, Grusha, Lavrenti, Aniko, Jassup (Srinu) and Doctors (Ellaia & Mallaia). Here one can see different formations of human bodies making different structures or sculptures. Sometimes we form a structure of a Bridge through which Suma crosses the river. Then we become the sculpture of Demons at night. At times, they transform into the river and sing a beautiful Bengali folktale song. We also become soldiers and fight with each other. We also adopt the role of villagers and perform different activities. Additionally, one can observe different cultures from different states of India.
Here, I play the character of the Governor’s wife’s lawyer. This character demands repetition and exaggeration, for which I go through some set of exercises which requires quotidian physicality and gesture. For this character I mostly use pelvis & my head as my energy centre while delivering dialogues in accordance with Chekhovian acting theory. I sing a couple of Bengali folktale songs. One of the songs is “Maa go bhabna keno” (My dear mother, why are you thinking?) with which the play starts and is used as a song of protest. Also, I sing one more Bengali folktale during the river formation.
As part of the properties, we use sticks, drinking bottles, clay pot, and some household items. And for costumes we wear villagers’ costumes. Since all the actors are playing multiple roles throughout the play, we have to change the costumes or wear an extra costume to differentiate. This play has been performed in many theatre festivals across India.
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