Amal Allana & Dr Nissar Allana create a stage & space for expression, one that’s also therapeutic

It's grand to the core, inside-out. A cast of 500, seven stages, mind-blowing music, a director like Amal Allana, a scenographer like Dr Nissar Allana and a story that touches issues which are ours. Mohey Rang De, Vivek High’s mega annual production has it all, and with it a promise to take children’s theatre in Chandigarh to another level. The stage is set for drama that encompasses the finer bits of life...

IN PERSPECTIVE:“Theatre plays a part in putting things into perspective, and children’s theatre is essentially therapeutic that make one’s process of learning and personality so complete,’’ the chairperson of the National School of Drama, Amal Allana is loving her role as director of Mohey Rang De, where she gets together in body and spirit 500 children.” For someone whose life revolves around theatre, having directed over 50 plays, all deeply rooted, yet with a broad vision, this play is unique for it takes her back to basics, “working with children as a director is definitely a new role for me as the dynamics are so different, and getting their attention, especially such a big group is a challenge, which we’ve loved,’’ smiles Amal. The play is in Punjabi, for Allana wanted them to converse, think and feel in their own language and except for the few initial apprehensions, the children were so at ease with it, not worrying about accent, vocabulary, pronunciation et al. As for the story, it deals with immigration, an issue that’s related to their life and questions the relevance of a national identity in today’s world. “The subject is contemporary, and not removed from actuality and encourages them to ask the question, Who Am I?,’’ Amal penned the text along with insights from the actors. Dance and songs take the story forward, so it’s not preachy, dull, but filled with exuberance and fun. The music is Punjabi folk, and Amal collaborated with Madan Gopal Singh, “they need to appreciate what’s their own, essential in today’s time of mall and NRI culture and we had the entire track of the play recorded for a superb effect,’’ the director agrees teaching them to dance was a task. “But look at the plethora of qualities that they absorb through theatre, apart from techniques. Using their body, utilizing space, working together as a team, gaining confidence, building bond, speaking with ease...the results are tremendous,” at the NSD, adds Amal, they have a huge programme devoted to children’s theatre, with theatre workshops being conducted all over the country, and Jash-Ne-Bachpan, our children’s theatre festival is a big hit. Amal is working with the NCERT to introduce theatre in schools and has prepared a syllabus for theatre, and the pilot programme will be started in various schools, “these children will be our future audience and will be aware of every aspect of theatre and will make it grow,’’ Amal is also busy with her new production, Metropolis.

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