Acting has always been my passion. When I recall my first memories of a proper stage performance I am reminded of the Japanese student role I was given in our humble attempt of staging an episode from the BBC series of Mind Your Language for the College Day, at Fatima College, where I was doing BA English Literature. I think I did fit the role naturally (!), with my short stature, silky straight hair, and small eyes (now don't ask to look at my nose). But later, looking at the old photos of me bowing in a Kimono, brandishing a Japanese fan (thanks to Pudhu Mandapam...you got anything in that place) made me wonder which Japanese student went to an English class in London in a Kimono?
My aunt was shocked to see me posing near a man, our shoulders brushing. It took me half an hour and two glasses of an energy drink to make her believe that it was indeed a girl classmate of mine dressed as a male student. Phew!
And the straws!!! My hairstylist (okkkkk....I know what you are going to say....Of course I was not a film star but I did have a hairstylist...Thank you Usha ka) could not get the hair sticks to put on my hair. so we had to make do with a few straws.
What we wanted:
What we ended up with:
Then there was the fairy tale Cinderella. I played Cinderella. The Challenge of making the 'gorgeous Cinderella' disappear and to bring back 'Cinderella in rags' on stage after the clock striking twelve loomed large before the directors of the play. Then an idea flashed. We had two Cinderellas. I was the one in rags, swabbing and mopping and cleaning and dusting and sad (acting skills required, you see). Rosario, was the Cinderella at the Ball. We were of the same stature and looked alike a little. We had a smoky scene when Rosario would slowly disappear behind the side screens and I would step in. That was really Magical!!! We had brought in real horses and a real Carriage on to the stage. What a medical miracle!!! ahem....ahem (have been watching too many Tamil movies) What a dramatic miracle!!! The audience gave a standing ovation for that dramatic innovation in those days...two decades ago it was. Unfortunately I do not have any photographs.
The most unforgettable was Shakespeare's King Lear, which we staged for the College Day of our final year in College (1990). Mahitha was Lear and I was Cordelia. We were the only two of our batch to have acted in the College Day English plays of all the three years of our study there.
In the Cordelia death scene, King Lear had to carry Cordelia's dead and limp body. And Mags had a serious back injury. She never attempted carrying me at the rehearsals. Mrs. Chandra Thenimalai and Ms. Jacintha Thomas were mightily worried. Can Mahitha carry Saira on stage...with no practice at all? That was the million dollar question. Adding to their worry was the scene after that. Lear had to lament over Cordelia's body. Whenever Mags delivered this dialogue, mourning over my dead body,
"Why should a dog, a horse, a rat have life,
And thou no breath at all?...Look on her. Look, her lips.
Look there, look there"
I would start giggling. And the contagious laughter would spread. Mags, Viji (Kent) Kala (Goneril), Pushpa (Regan) - all seen in the photo - would start giggling too. There were days when we would get into a side-splitting laughing spree, driving Ms. Jacintha Thomas mad, "Godddd, Saira....You are supposed to be lying dead!!!"
And Ms. Rosary Royar could have made a rock blush, but couldn't succeed with me. Duke of France (Nihila) proposes to me, and in her romantic best Nihila goes on her knees, takes my hand and kisses it. But all I could manage was a "Mehendi lagao ji" look on my face.
"Blush Saira, blush" Ms. Royar would make us freeze in that pose. "Come on try once more." Nihila would throw up her hands in utter frustration and scream, "Now how many times should I kiss that stupid girl's hand? Before bringing some red colour on to her cheeks I might draw some real blood, I think". I was the giggler! And there I go once again making everyone roll on the floor laughing (ROFL wasn't there those days!) Oh my!!! I still do not remember whether I eventually managed to blush or not.
The day came. Mags just lifted me up in her arms with ease. (I swear I was less than 45 kg those days.) It seemed to be done effortlessly, but I was sure she was in pain. But she did not show an iota of it on her face. I was holding my breath. I am supposed to be dead, you see. And I did NOT GIGGLE!!!! Many things came to my mind then: the face of Shakespeare's Lear agonized by the death of his daughter, Cordelia; the thought that Mags may be in pain after the weightlifting venture; the anxious faces of all the professors who have been training us. And I acted more than dead.
We did get those tears of Joy when Mrs. Chandra literally ran towards us and gave us a happy hug at the end of the play.
Those were our butterfly days....We fluttered all over, flaunting our colorful wings....happy and carefree. How I wish I could relive those days once again. There have been many more stages I have performed on. Writing about those can wait. Otherwise this would become too long to read!!! But never so to relive!!!
