My Gangsta girls

The year started with a Theatre show on 5^th of January 2019 for which I have been on rehearsals during the holiday season.

I was trying out a completely new genre of Theatre, which resembles a monologue, but really is a Soliloquy, laced with physical theatre, a form of theatre which uses physical movements to convey the expressions and story.  The play was titled “Heroes and Psychos” where six theatre artists, were showcasing the real life stories  of 3 unsung heroes and 3 weird pyscho’s.

There you go.  No prizes for guessing that I got to do the role of a Psycho. 

Yes. Leanarda Cianciulli,  An Italian serial killer, famously known as the soap killer. You can read up about her here..

I had to pinch myself when the director Chandrasekhar, called me and said, Madam, when I wrote the script for this play, I had you in mind and knew you will fit this role really well.  I refused initially, saying I cannot take demanding rehearsal schedules, but he managed to persuade me to take it up.  Apparently Chandru and Sudharsan (both from the theatre fraternity and from a group called Veshadharis in Chennai) had seen one of my shows and wanted to work with me.   

After reading the script, I wasn’t sure if they meant to compliment me by that.  That’s another point of discussion.

After the first rehearsal, Chandru told me you sound like a anchor / Trainer and need to overact.  Overact 200 percent!!!  Really?  For heaven sake, yes I am in the Learning industry more than I have been in Theatre, and I am going to sound like a trainer!!

J told me “just be yourself Vincy”  merciless pun indeed.

Once I was committed, there was no turning back.  Rehearsals, practice at home, writing the lines down to get them really into my aging brain. Yeah I do all of that stuff.  The most interesting part is I keep practicing my lines while I am driving, and at a signal, scared the hell out of a guy who was staring at me, by the elaborate use of my hands.  Was I embarrassed?  No!!

I, Once went  to the rehearsals late and it was closing time at AF ( Alliance Franciase at Chennai) and the director wanted to wrap it up.  I wouldn’t budge, I wanted a rehearsal and did it in the open Amphitheatre at AF.  The whole place was crowded with people, and as part of physical theatre, I had to act like picking up an imaginary axe and kill a woman..  There was a mother and a 6 – 7 year old son sitting at the far end of one of rows I was acting, and I walked upto them and bent down to pick up the imaginary axe and swung it.  They looked perplexed and walked away from there much to the amusement of the audience who were watching me perform.  

It was hard work, but I was enjoying it, most importantly it gave me the most important distraction I needed.

The other 5 artists were all much senior to me in theatre experience and one of the guys had a 20 year experience in theatre.   I even stopped watching other’s rehearsals, so I wouldn’t get petrified looking at their performances.

I wasn’t marketing the play much, as I wasn’t sure of myself.  Anyway on the show day, my loyal gang of girls, Jay and Sudha came in, on their own, without any bit of persuasion.  Same was the case with Anita, my seafarer friend, who is on her short vacation from her work in a Cruise ship at Royal Caribbean,  yeah can you believe I have friend who works in a cruise ship as a learning consultant, a three stripe officer?

Onstage, it is a different story -  I forget myself and turn into Leonarda.

The curtain call over, I walked upto the girls, Jay and Sudha and the look on their eyes said it all.  Worth all the hard work.  Full of praises, they said I was convincing as a serial killer and really looked like one too on stage.  Then they added, next girls trip Vincy, we don’t want to share room with you.  We don’t want to be turned into teacakes and soaps.

Ashwani, a co-artiste and probably the best of all I have seen so far, came up to me and said, by the second killing I started hating you Vincy. That’s an amazing recognition of the role I played. I actually had a few girls who wanted a picture with me, after appreciating my performance.

I had to drop off Anita on my return and she explained how she always looked upto me about how I managed multiple stuff at home and office,  and asked me, how did you do that acting bit Vincy?  Visibly shaken by the act of Psychos, she told me she is so proud of me. The adrenaline rush after the show during the curtain call, and while these appreciations pour in, is worth every bit of hard work. 

The next day morning there was messages / calls from the Gangsta again.   Jay says she woke up in the middle of the night and remembered my murderous face.  Sudha elaborated on how I transitioned from expressions of happiness, anger, love, sadness and being a pyscho. I was on Anita’s WhatsApp status mentioning, she is in awe of me.

That’s when I realized how important it is to have your own Gang of Girls and this MEME made more sense than ever !!!!