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Sunday, May 09, 2010

" We're good performers stuck with bad audience"

I was made to read a blog entry day before, by my office partner, auburn leaves about her funny school play. And while I read through those 200 words, my mind started racing about all MY goof up's that made college so much more fun.

I remember this particular play that we did in college. We had the option of NOT doing it and doing a boring, 50 slides presentation instead. But we knew we had it in us, that enthusiastic, waiting to be unleashed, star performer. In all 5 of us. And so we put our ideas into action. I think it was the heat that got us not thinking straight- Aditi Sharma and Amrita SaiMarla were going to play the main lead. Only tiny problem with that was, we had an insufferable need to giggle on stage, and practically ruin the entire show. So the easy solution to that was, we would resolutely NOT look at each other through out the play.Amrita was to play the character of a crazy, hyper father. And I was the cynical, orthodox pandit. I don't remember practicing for the play at all. I only remember basking in the glory of how everyone would be blown over by our sheer brilliance on stage. And I could already imagine that smart A + right across my grade sheet.

The day came. But it never went. We were the last group to present. The play started fine. We all knew our dialogues, the class class seemed to be enjoying it. Our professor had the approving Mona Lisa smile plastered on her face. SO far, so good. Till Amrita decided to look into my eyes. And by default, I looked back. It was that split second of devastation. And all hell let loose. It is amazing how synchronized our laughs could be in that moment, and no one to appreciate the perfectness of that. Our laughs were super sonic, and I could almost feel the glass windows crack a bit. The teachers smile faltered. The class, too, knew it was the cue for them to match the wildness. Anyhow, we tried to pull ourselves together, but the damage once done, was done for good. To cut a long story short, we screwed up royally. Half of Amrita's dialogues were delivered by me, mine were delivered by someone else who played a mute character. The 'mother' in the play forgot all her's and just stood there, staring into space. the protagonist almost swore loudly and basically out of embarrassment, I kind of burst into flames. But I was still laughing.  The play was supposed to be concluded by one person, but we all pitched in, to save the day. Ofcourse, there was nothing left that could save the day.

A similar incident took place when Ching and I were performing on stage. " Way back into love" was the hot favorite song in college at that time. And THIS couldn't go wrong. We started with the duet. The song was half way through. When suddenly the strumming seemed not entirely right....I looked at Ching from the corner of my eye. Her face. Was red. That was not a very smart thing to do. You do NOT look like that on stage. Because that can make me laugh.

...We still thought we were unbelievable on stage, all three years of college...

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