Theatre with a purpose
Here's how and why theatre makes for a very interesting tool to help deal with issues in life.
People from various walks of life arrive here to tackle their issues and learn certain coping mechanisms. This is not a sight from a counsellor’s room, but theatre workshops in and around the city.
Take for instance the theatre group XpressionZ from Bengaluru that staged a play in association with city-based group Udaan. The comedy monologue on Saturday was based on Shakkar Ke Panch Dane and was born out of a workshop that helps face challenges in the competitive world through theatre. City theatre groups, too, have been using the medium as a ground to train people to handle situations like stress in the family, how to handle interviews and how to be more open with their emotions to name a few.
“I have believed in and experienced theatre as a way to develop self-esteem and overcome challenges and stress. Theatre as a therapy has worked wonders for people from different age groups and backgrounds. We have conducted workshops with prisoners and the outcome was wonderful. They came out expressing their suppressed feelings and even explored their interpersonal skills,” says Prashant Jade of XpressionZ.
Saurav Verma, who has been a part of one of these workshops, feels, “I have realised that it’s one of the best ways to rediscover one’s soul. These workshops help bridge the gap between mind, body and soul.”
Vaishali Bisht, known for her thought-provoking theatre workshops with children in the city, stresses on how theatre is a great communicative art form that helps transform personalities. “We don’t know what our body is capable of unless we face challenges. The sense of fear is the foremost challenge that grips a person from within and I have seen people shedding their fears and gaining a new confidence through theatre and these workshops. Of course, the change won’t be 180 degrees, but for sure, people will become more flexible, sociable and empathetic towards others.”
Rammohan from Nishumbita theatre group in the city also agrees that theatre can help one overcome challenges. “Theatre is a great way to develop one’s personality and through this, not only can you cope with stress but also let your imagination run wild. One of our programmes involves workshops on the streets. In such a situation, strangers don’t know that it’s a workshop and so the participants are put in a situation where they learn to handle how others react.”