Moving out from Mumbai, Niketan Sharma’s Photo-copy is all set to perform two shows in Kolkata. Written and directed by Sharma, the tale of a family coping up with the irreplaceable loss of a family member was first showcased at the Serendipity Arts Festival (SAF). The SAF in collaboration with the Kolkata Centre for Creativity now brings it for the city’s audience. Ahead of its shows this weekend, Indulge catches up with Sharma regarding the play and changing facets of theatre today.
Having written and directed Photo-Copy which role did you enjoy the most?
Photo-copy is coming from a very personal space. I enjoyed both writing and directing this play. But yes directing it was something very different because you are exploring the text in rehearsal space, you see actors are giving their thoughts to the text and that was interesting to explore. So directing it was something very challenging and also fun at the same time.
The play will be staged in Kolkata for the first time. Are you excited or nervous?
More than nervousness there is excitement to perform this play first time outside Mumbai after its premiere at the Serendipity Arts Festival. It will be interesting to see how the audience will react there.
Would you say theatre is the space to start out from if one would like to take up acting as a career?
The way I see of course if someone wants to be an actor, you can learn all the tools which you can apply in your work in theatre. But apart from that I think it’s good to engage in theatre for some time at least because it makes you think about yourself and be empathetic towards society and other humans. It gives power and perspective to question things and that’s very important. All these things will definitely help you as an actor too.
Theatre today is moving out of its traditional setting. Is that giving a new lease to this art form?
Yes, it’s a great opportunity to explore and experiment with different things in different settings. It makes your mind run fast. I think it’s the right time to explore different spaces so that you can connect closely with the audience which is very important for theatre.
Do you think live performances and the comfort of watching performances digitally, can go hand in hand?
There is a difference when you watch live performances. The connection that builds with artists in live performances is not the same when you watch theatre digitally. But yes that gives us opportunities to think about what we can do to further engage audiences in live performances.
What inspires you to keep growing in this field?
The idea of creating characters, stories, living them and exploring them has always inspired me. As I am working more and more, I am eager to learn this craft. As I said before it’s always helping me reflect on myself and society in a good way.
Jointly presented by Serendipity Arts Festival and Kolkata Centre for Creativity, Photo-Copy will be staged at Rangakarmee Studio Theatre on September 16 from 6:30 pm and Kolkata Centre for Creativity at September 17 from 6:30 pm. Tickets are available at the official websites.