With French play, 15-year-old Malini is theatre's tour de force

Bengaluru: Age is just a number when it comes to art. 15-year-old Malini Narayan is proof of that. The youngest actor in Tartuffe, a play that made its debut at the French Theatre Festival held at Alliance Francaise on Sunday, her personality, much like her work, is a stark contrast to her years. 

She started doing theatre almost six years ago, she says. “I started out when I was nine I think. I can’t remember why… What could a fourth grader possibly have to say anyway,” she asks with a laugh. “It became much clearer as I grew older, however… It helped me articulate. I can communicate things that bother me, that I really want to say, without being boring,” she says. The play is a classical piece from the 1600s and is one of the most famous theatrical comedies by French playwright Moliere.

An 11th standard student from Mallya Aditi International School, she was selected for Tartuffe, even though she was five years younger than the minimum age limit. “I found a flyer and it was an open call for actors. It said you had to be between 20 years and 50 years, but I went ahead with it anyway. I think my love for French and theatre both took lead. Needless to say, I didn’t hear from them at first… but I finally did and I was in it!” she recalls happily. There were about 200 actors who were auditioned for the play.  The other members of the cast are professional actors. This is her first big breakthrough. 

Narayan's character in the play is quite the damsel in distress. She plays the part of Mariane, who is the daughter of Orgon, one of the central characters of the plot. She is betrothed to the man she loves, Valre, a young romantic lead, but her father, under the influence of the antagonist Tartuffe, won't let the lovers unite. Sitting in her half-done hair and make-up, she says, “It was hard for me to play her because that is so not who I am. It was a challenge… I didn't think it would be, but it was in fact… exciting,” she says, her eyes lighting up at the thought.  She did a bit of method acting to get into the shoes of the character. “After I got wind of that (the character), I would keep quiet about things that I would otherwise be vocal about. They were small issues with my parents or at home. I wouldn't roll my eyes. I would be quiet and honestly, it was eye-opening! To think that this is how some of us live, to think they are not given a choice reminded me of how privileged I am,” says the actor who identifies herself as a feminist. 

The young actor requests the audience to look deeper into the story than just focussing on the techniques.  “People don't usually pay attention to these quiet themes. The play has layers of nuances… comedy, it is historical and all that but this. I really want the audience to notice how relevant these issues are,”she says, sounding wise beyond her years, "but most of all, I hope people come!” she says before getting back to her final rehearsals with the crew.     

The second show of the play will be staged on Sunday at 7.30 pm at Alliance Francaise, Vasanth Nagar.