‘Play’ Along

Just the idea of acting in front of a live audience gives me the jitters. I always wonder how people gather the courage to go up on stage and spout lines with such confidence! Commendable. Really.

Professional theatre artists are magical on stage. The grace and self assurance with which they perform is a treat to watch. So, what is it about theatre that attracts artists? There are a horde of actors who dabble in both films and theatre. It’s a known fact that films are more lucrative monetarily. The fame is instant in films and so is the celebrity status. But something makes actors, who are successful on the silver screen, keep going back to theatre…Really.

Shabana Azmi, a renowned film actress, is known for her powerhouse performances. She has managed to strike a good balance between films and theatre having acted in several well known plays both in Hindi and English. ‘Tumhari Amrita’, ‘Betrayal’, ‘The Waiting Room’, ‘A Doll’s House’ and her current project, ‘Broken Images’ are some of her popular plays. I read an interview of hers in which she described facing live audience on stage as a completely different challenge.

I think that the rush experienced by acting on stage is unparalleled. In films, one can take several retakes till they get that perfect shot. On stage, there are no retakes which is thrilling and terrifying all at once. Acting on stage requires a lot of improvisation and spontaneity. Ardent theatre enthusiasts find acting, while reacting to the response of a live audience, an extremely satisfying experience.

I guess it is this thrill, challenge and immense creative satisfaction that keeps drawing artists to this enriching medium.

-Ruchika Mathur, Bespoken Words Team