Bye Bye Bye...

The semester has come to the end. Time does not fly anymore, it flashes in a way our eyes can no longer detect it. Overall this subject has been providing me with great knowledge. The four plays that I’ve learnt have brought me much insights and exposure on conflicts and cultures. Oedipus gave a huge impact of how much our life is not in our own hands. I now truly realize that in the process of achieving something, one must have faith in the Almighty and be prepared for whatever is written on our sleeves. Then Antony and Cleopatra injected the sense of much-rejoiced love in the land of Egypt. Technically this play provided me with knowledge on the Roman Empire because previously I only know one Caesar = ol’ Julius. Little did I know of his son and the affair he had with the Queen of Egypt. A Streetcar Named Desire was basically about a promiscuous fidgeting Blanche whose life was doomed with the help of her brother-in-law. The story gave a glimpse of life in 1950s New Orleans. Lifestyles and languages really do affect people’s way of thinking. But then we were taken back closer to home in reading an Indian play, 30 Days of September. Amazingly the issue tackled was by far the most interesting from all – child sexual abuse. Those who do not have any dark experience wouldn’t have the slightest idea of the feeling that empowered those who have. It is a feeling when you know you are doing something wrong, your heart tells you so, you don’t find doing it comfortable, you feel awfully bad for doing it, but still you do it because someone tells you to. It is a feeling of being trapped…Thus, Teaching The Language of Drama may have come to the end, but this Drama Shrine will still surges on and on…

The WOMAN in me...

Taming of the Shrew might be over but my passion for theatre acting can never end…can’t wait for another but is praying for less pressure next time. The last assignment required us to analyze the portrayal of themes or characterizations in either A Streetcar Named Desire or 30 Days of September. I haven’t had any chance to mention about the latter in here and it is also yet to be discussed in class with Dr Edwin. 30 Days of September is a play by Mahesh Dattani in which he tries to bring to audience the reality of child sexual abuse issue. The play reminds me of the movie ‘Seven’ where little boys were sexually assaulted in the juvenile prison they were put in. As a result their behaviour changed and it affected the way they see things after that. The same goes to Mala, the protagonist of 30 DoS. What her uncle did to her when she was little turned her into a sex-driven femme fatale who uses sexuality as the base of her existence. I really do wonder how she exactly feels…Childhood years which supposedly were the period of innocence are robbed away by a man she put her trust in. That must be very depressing. And to accept the fact that the man will always remain a big name in your life must be pretty mortifying. But for me the most interesting character is Shanta. She represents a tortured soul who wanted to escape her past but still seeing it in her own daughter. What’s troubling her is that her daughter channels her frustration into sexual exploitation and not into praying like herself. And the praying itself doesn’t seem to be helping her to get rid of everything. I am quite pissed at Shanta in the scene where Mala seems almost like begging for her mother to acknowledge what had happened to her. But her mother still refused. Living as women surely takes a whole of bigger guts than men. Men can stick it and leave it but the scar that remains on women will shame them forever. And this is me being dramatic. I told you I like acting so much. Who is there to blame? I am a woman.

Horribly excited…...

Tonight is the big night where Taming of The Shrew will be performed.. I’m so nervous that my whole body is shivering. I know that things will go just fine but still, I have never work with a big production before – (not if you consider the acting we did among ourselves is big) And it is a chance to actually play out Shakespeare’s piece of work – something that has been part of my study since 4 years ago. This is what I’d call a golden opportunity. Sure, the production consists of only students so there were problems here and there. But so far the journey has been a great experience. We get to work with foreign students which are by the way, totally great actors. Also get to work with students from other faculties. But for me, the most interesting thing is that I get to try acting again. I really enjoyed the ‘midsummer nite’s dream’ we did that I longed for another similarly great experience. It would be a marvelous thing if Oedipus Rex and Antony and Cleopatra be put into productions in campus as they will become grand events. And if this truly happens, I’d sign up for auditions in no time. Whatever role will be perfect for me….

A Streetcar Which Runs Out of Gas...

No offense to Tennessee Williams but i personally think A Streetcar Named Desire is kind of a slow drama. And I don't really feel the conflict budding in any corner of the box. But Blanche is what i call a 'bombastic' character to play. All the tense and insecurity within her are real thus, making them believable. Playing her will be like playing the character of almost everyone in this world. But the traits that Blanche carries are the traits which everyone hides. In my opinion, Blanche and Stanley are two asymmetrical people. They got a fiery connection (and I don't mean love here ladies and gentleman. hold that thought) that audience might not notice because it is shadowed by the matrimony knot between Stanley and Stella. When Blanche shows up at her sister's house, people can see how 'excited' Stanley is. Blanche's present gives a kind of reason for him to be alive again. She symbolizes a spice in his boring, everyday-is-the-same life. He finds Blanche's agitation and flirtations somehow amusing and he provokes her for more. It's like watching a baby cry and you find it to be very cute - i know, that's a bit weird but i do. Reality is, somewhere in the middle of the story i began to lose my concentration on the story. Stanley machoism charm begins to wear off and enough with the innocent sweet naivete, Stella. The play is strongly supported by the characters but towards the end they are like something that I have had enough. But seriously, this is only a piece of my tired thoughts. Tennessee Williams, please don't sue me...i'm just a girl with no knowledge whatsoever.......

all about being the teacher...

microteaching is fun.....even though it can b a nightmare sometimes (especially if dr Edwin is in the house.) The other day, me and mel get to show the video we found on the Net that showed how curious people got busted. And it was indeed a funny video. What made it funny was the language because the video is in Portuguese or something. But still we can understand what was happening. It felt really good to have your students laughing at the thing you have forked out to show them. Now i know what it feels like to be a real teacher. Just hope that my real students are like my 'students' now.....

I'm teaching here....

microteaching is a daunting experience. but the one i had with miss baiti was pretty good. together with mel, i thought that we were quite a pairing. and for that session of microteaching, we were graded by our peers. sheets of grading points were distributed and many aspects of our teaching ethics were evaluated. when you know that you are being evaluated, the pressure builded on at an impressive rate. this is because your friends' words can be much more hurtful than your teachers.if a teacher corrects you, you won't feel much because you are aware of her/his superiority.but with your friends, whom all equally standing on the same edge, their comments can somehow be a bit too truthful.but then again,with me being evaluated, i also have the priviledge to evaluate others which means i, too have the thendency of giving truthful remarks to my friends.and judging from the 4-years of experience living together,situations can indeed become really ugly.............

Correct me if I'm wrong.....

I want to change my personal view of Antony, the General in Octavius Caesar big army. In the previous post, I totally ruled out Antony as a scoundrel who was an opportunist both in his love and his position. But as the story goes on, he managed to impress me with his love for Cleopatra. Guess that he was protecting Cleopatra from Caesar when he was instructed to marry Octavia. Not that Caesar is mean, but Cleopatra once got his father down at her feet (its obviously normal for him to loath Cleopatra) Torn between his boss and his his ladylove, Antony acted like any other love-sick boy - going after Cleopatra and left the battlefield he was supposed to fight....now that's what every woman wants in a man. But Cleopatra herself was full of flaws. One that eventually led to the lovebird's death. Clearly suicide was an act of honour for the Romans and the Egyptians but honestly watching one guy kills himself minutes after another guy did the same thing will be totally gruesome. I'm saying about 5-6 people here......committing suicide simultaneously in one play production. I'll be damned if tears don't come rolling down my cheeks.