Rantings of the mind

 Some experiences don’t arrive loudly. They enter quietly and stay. This workshop was one such experience for me - gentle, intense, and deeply personal. From 29th to 31st December, I had the opportunity to attend a three-day theatre workshop conducted by the genius playwright and director Mahesh Dattani. Until then, he was a name I had known only through textbooks and exam syllabi. Meeting him in person, learning under him and eventually performing in a play directed by him felt unreal. On 1st January, I watched Yogi vs Bhogi by his troupe and performed in the play Vidhi, written by G. Sankara Pillai, under Dattani sir’s direction. It felt like the most meaningful way to begin a new year. I genuinely had a lot of fun during the workshop. I woke up every day excited to learn something new. We were introduced to Michael Chekhov’s techniques, especially Staccato and Legato. Staccato was sharp, quick, and energetic, while Legato was smooth, continuous, and flowing. Slowly, I realised t...