Really a very busy day. It began in Bell’s Café, from where I was to be picked up to be taken to Chaitanya Pathasala, another school in Dhangadhi, as arranged yesterday evening. I positioned myself by the door, but need not have been concerned, as it was the MD of the school itself, Mt Ganesh x, who arrived, and as we had already met… I was amused to see him park right outside the door, get out and walk in – something you have not been able to do in England for fifty years or so.
It was a short drive through an area of Dhangadhi I had never seen before, to a modern and attractive campus. I received what has become a usual welcome – greeted by a welcoming party, to receive posies of flowers from some children, a marigold garland, and a Nepali-style cap. And then, after the usual vast number of photos – I was photographed virtually non-stop, with at one stage the cameraman filming me as he walked backwards up the stairs – I was escorted to a Seminar Room. There was a small stage, and an audience of about fifty 14 year olds.
I had been given pretty much free rein to talk about what I wanted, but the display on the smart board suggested this was “An introduction to Drama” (alongside a large picture of me, a selfie hastily taken last night.) I talked about the UK, drawing a sketch map to illustrate something about the geography of the British Isles (probably unnecessary, on reflection.) I then recounted the plot of Romeo and Juliet, as a way of giving a plug to our production. And then nvited six students onto the stage with me. I had asked for six who were reasonably confident, but of course they were pretty much frozen with apprehension. But I got them to go through a couple of Drama exercises, one to exercise their imaginations, and to demonstrate there were no fixed answers in Drama (the old one of using a prop in a variety of ways) , and then did some work on showing basic emotions using one’s face, hands, body. It seemed to me that they did manage to improve just a little during the demonstration, but it was not really a sparkling demonstration. Still, it had achieved its purpose.
I was given some lunch, and then put on the back of a motorbike driven by a willing volunteer, and taken back to the Bread Box.
Next, I met up 2ith Aparna, for a swift couple of chores: to visit the venue for the performance, and to conform the dates (phew, at last) and then to go into town to visit the American Corner, a small and rather tatty library. I did meet the Assistant Director of the place, a young Nepali guy, and chatted briefly with him – again, an opportunity to promote the production.
And then back for a rehearsal, to go through the opening scene of the play. Rather more people there this time, but not everyone, and especially not Tybalt, who, much as I suspected he would, has withdrawn from the production. He has scarcely been in it merely attending two audition sessions, so no great shock. And I have an alternative in mind. In the meantime, Vikram (Capulet) substituted for me. And was, of course, very good – he could play just about everyone. It was a pleasing rehearsal, and we pretty much got through the entire scene, with the exception of the fights.
And in the evening, I was back where I had begun, in Bells Café, having dinner with Bidhan, the young itinerant teacher, like me, on his own here for a short contract. Pleasant and sociable.
