It is clear that I am remembered. When I arrived at Gomti Nagar Extension (known as GN2), the security guard immediately opened the full gate, thus removing the trip hazard of the metal bar at ground level, over which I had tripped so spectacularly and disastrously on my first day a year ago. I had arrived early in order to have a short reunion with those members of the Aesop cast who studied there; it was a real pleasure to see them again, all the more so since we were back in the examination hall, where it had all begun, over a year ago. We reminisced, talked about drama at CMS, and, eventually, we played zip zap boing. This was witnessed by the earlier arrivals to the workshop which followed, giving them a slight advantage, in that they too would be playing the game soon enough.
I had decided to vary my lesson plan, largely for my own sanity, but also to bring some freshness to the proceedings. On the first day, we focused on physical theatre, in particular the concept of people as things, We began with some snap group improvisations: get into groups of a certain number and create, respectively, a motor bike, some traffic lights, a tuk-tuk, and a car. And then a more developed scene, with one person as a door, which then transformed into the person within. Not quite the success I had hoped for, this last, but it was a sophisticated concept. What was clear was that they were a confident, articulate group. Despite the fact that they came from three different campuses, they also worked well together, even when I deliberately mixed those distinct groups up.
On the second and final day, I decided to look at the concept of status, and in order to create dramatic tension, of status disrupted. We worked in pairs, as a variation on my old standby of master and servant; and then in threes, introducing another level, and therefore more possibilities. Finally, there was time to try something I have not done for a long time, which was a whole class improvisation: the boss of a factory making chairs (we had plenty of the finished material about), who calls up two assistants, who each do the same, and all the while maintaining ideas of things happening, going wrong, etc., this pyramid structure extending to include the whole class. As expected, the first attempt did not work: it was too static, lacking in energy, too many people just standing around. But the second try was really good, ending in a noisy strike against the imperious bosses.
It had been good to try something not quite so safe. In doing so, not only did the class obviously enjoy the experience, it gave me back some of my mojo.
