Friday 1 May 2009

My Real Valentine

He: I saw you coming dear. I have few questions for you. Actually they are not questions, but few doubts…. that came in from somewhere while waiting for you. Will you be interested in hearing those?

She: Wait, wait- hang on a minute…. why did you not phone me this morning? Not even an SMS. I expected you online too. But you didn’t turn up- why? You are not really what I think of you……
Look here, I love you so much. Honestly I can’t live with out your love. Don’t do this to me.

He: Hmm….
Let me ask you something.
Why? Why do you like me? Why do you love me so much?

She : Truly-I don’t know. I like your blue eyes, attractive smile, smooth silvery forehead, those rocky shoulders and that sharp like your thoughts and your steel body….
I just love you- That’s it

He : hmm…
But what you have described are not mine alone, though we think of it all as ours.
I have a friend who too has the same features as me- perhaps better than me in all senses. So would you love him too?

She: Oh! That stupid Iago!
He cant sing like you
Those lovely songs you sang for me…
Wow- mind blowing! Really wonderful

He: God- oh god! You are completely wrong
He sings much better than me. My songs are rated much below him.
In fact it is he who inspired me to sing.

She: Ok- But he can’t create stories and poems like you.
My nights always wait for the light of your poems and heartfelt stories...
They are so nice

He: oh no! You are wrong again.
You know it is my dream to write like him. My writings are rubbish compared to his.
I am sure his writings will become a part of world literature.
Now tell me why do you love me?

She: Alright- But he can’t share any philosophical thoughts like you.
Whatever you might say- I love you!

He: Don’t be silly. What did you say? Me----a philosopher!
No no …. I know very well that I am more materialistic.
On the other hand, he is more spiritual and aesthetic

She: Stop it.
Why you are praising him so much?
Do you dislike me so much?

He: No, Not at all dear. It is your ignorance that makes you think that I am greater singer, writer and philosopher. Actually his world is really deep and different

She: Could be. But listen- he can’t smile like you and can’t raise doubts or questions like you do. I have understood him as an introvert while you are open, friendly and bubbling with enthusiasm.

He: Come on …….., I shall take you to him and you find him more superior to me in many more ways than one.
No arguments and no competitions here
Come let us go and see him

She: Ok …. I need to meet him. Perhaps, I want to know him from near.
Shall we move on then?

Well really I am in a hurry to meet him
It’s all your fault!

* * * * * * * * *


After they meet

She: Yes ... And as you said he is great. He is more talented than you in abundance.
But I only measured him using you as the measuring scale.
Yes dear- you are my identifying and actualising tool, i.e. a scale too.

He: My dearest ! I love you more now.
Truly you have seen my inner spirit and I see that reflected in your eyes.
Mmmm ! I love you. Very very much.
But, please pardon me- just for annoying you with one more question
Who would have been your hero if we had not met?
How have you had spent all these times?

She: I was searching and waiting at horizon, no.. no I was wandering for you dear.
You are my real valentine- my hero and no more questions please...

They shares a sweet kiss


*********************************************************************************************************************

Tuesday 23 December 2008

Report on Kalakaumudi Europe :Mr. Manoj Siva’s forceful presentation of two short stories written in Malayalam and authored by him was heartfelt and moving. The first titled ‘Ayyappana njaannaaru?’ is a reflection of the perpetual quest for one’s identity and the second is a variation to the myth of Ahalya, told in Manoj’s inimitable style.http://www.kaumudi.com/London/kala_literary.stm

Tuesday 16 December 2008

Mind the Gap –
A Short One Act Play based on the July 7th tragic event of London blasts
Written and Directed by .Manojshiv.

Introduction
Director’s View

The Drama Begins, the first bell rings following which the below announcement echoes:
“This is Mile End. This is Central Line service to Ealing Broadway. Please. Keep all your belongings with you at all times. Any unattended articles will be immediately removed and destroyed. This train is ready to depart. Please mind the closing doors.”

The second bell rings, reverberates the following announcement:
This is a special announcement from ----- Please switch off the mobile phone. Do not leave the hall for half an hour. All these rules and regulations for public safety

Act One.


Scene 1

The Curtain rises…..

(The setting of a fast moving tube train’s internal seating room. (The number of actors as passengers is left to the choice of the director)
(Comes up the back voice of sounds indicating the journey’s proceeding.
Stops the train at a station and a man (hero) with a bag enters the train while others in the train look gaze at him.)
(The authorities proclaim another security announcement…..Police Siren)
(The passengers in panic get confused.)
Suddenly goes off the power.
All the actors in unison
Actors:” Bring some Light”, “Bring some Light”, “and Bring some Light”
(The train halts with a huge troubled noise. Subsequently the roar of police alarms, security alerts and the passengers’ yell.)

Scene 2

From the middle of the spectators, the hero rushes to the stage in a terrible fright...
A gunman follows him shouting “Catch him. He is a terrorist. He is a devil in human form, catch him, Catch him….”

The security announcement again

Panting heavily he faces the audience with these words.

Victim:
” You are helpless to save me”. , isn’t true? Tell me
“He is following me, with the mask of death, yes! He is following me”
“The white man”
“But he, you and me……., all are birds of the same feather in the eyes of god”
“You can’t, you can’t rescue me”
“I f I stay here he will end my life”
“I will, I will tell you, this quest for a dramatic escape”
“Its fire, yes my heart is on fire”
“Will I ever come back?………………………………..”
From behind the stage
“He is Brutal, he is a terrorist, catch him, catch him……….”
(The Victim in perplex argues)
“I am innocent like you”
“The secrets behind anyone’s fate is unknown”
“You don’t know…”
“My dreams, my hopes, my whims, my pains…………”
“Give me”
“For me to act”
“Yes! To become a good actor of a unique drama in fullness”
“Acting, hmmmm, acting………….”
21Silence encircles, again echoes the security alert
Falls down the tired hero :( Light Off)
In dark hears the sound of a gun fire
Resonates the police alarm
All the actors in one crash thunders (Very Loud voice)
“Bring some Light”, “Bring some Light”, “Bring some Light”

Scene 3
Lights are on
On the stage hears the tune of a lullaby
Enters a loving couple, pampering the baby
The mother says: “He is my treasure, he is my all”

The father says: “I will educate him in Oxford”

Mother: “Don’t plan idiotically, let’s us accept what the time presents
Many things happened and vanished unexpectedly, so……..”
Father: “But you became a mother, our kid…..! He is an evidence for god mapping out the future, God, he is also anxious as us……kids; they are the future world’s hope

Mother: “I always dream my boy growing. His studies, music, ………..ah! It’s nice”

Father: “If there are no dreams on earth”

Mother:” There will be no pain and sufferings. Isn’t?

Father: “have you started to think a lot”

Mother: “Unknowingly uttered words touches the heart more, yes they are all synonyms of love

Father: “Look at his eyes in deep. It reflects this earth’s innocence”

(Both pampers the kid again)
Pops in the security alert again and go off the light
All the actors in one crash thunders “Bring some Light” “Bring some Light”, “Bring some Light

Scene 4

(In a tired and injured way, the victim gets up and speaks to the audience)

“It’s not me alone the aim of that devil”
“My mom, dad and their dreams too”
“Oh! The cruel world, you have lost the game of gambling at the hands of fate”
“I am scared, really scared”
“When I close my eyes, fright surrounds me……..yes! I am scared”

(Strikes him a daffodils at his feet on his way)

“Oh! Daffodil, you too, with me in this awful way of my fate”
“Oh! My beauty! How pretty you are! “
(Remembered by his love he thinks)
“Oh! My darling, my love………..”

In dark hears the sound of a gun fire again and the hero runs.
(Pops in the security alert again and go off the light
All the actors in one crash thunders “Bring some Light” “Bring some Light”, “Bring some Light)




Scene 5
An actor: “Why this garden is sorrowfully silent?”
Actress: “Why you didn’t email me? Why you didn’t phone me? You didn’t even come on online, why? Don’t you miss me? You are not like me…”
Actor: “Shall I ask you one thing”
Actress: hmm..
Actor: My sweet heart, tell me why you like me?
Actress: Your beauty for truth
Actor: “But my friend is more beautiful than me”
Actress: “Who? But he can’t sing like you”
Actor: “No! I am an ordinary singer of no value. But he is a music critic”
Actress: “But still he can’t write like you” mmmmmmmmm who is he?
Actor: “What he writes is true, but mine is low-priced”
Actress: “But he can’t love me like you”
Actor: “But I am his comrade”
Actress: Who is he (Very confused Manner) “He can ever be philosophical like you”
Actor: Looking at her blue eyes murmurs in love “I see the oceanic silence of thousands of oceans in your eyes”
Actress: “No one can be like you “You are a poet
Actor: “I am in a hurry”
“I understand you, I understand everything……..”
“I am in a bid to go abroad”
“Pardon me and you, please don’t get worried”
Actress: “You are my faith, you are my heart, and you are my love…….”
Actor: “See, like butterflies and lilies our lives are also too short”

Again the security alert and the sounds of confusion
Goes off the lights again
(Pops in the security alert again and go off the light
All the actors in one crash thunders “Bring some Light” “Bring some Light”, “Bring some Light)



Scene 6
Rushes in the injured hero and speaks to him in pain
“Oh! God! How cruel and bad my fate is……!”
“I am tired”
“I can’t step a foot anymore”
(Remembering his heartthrob he asks...)
“My darling! Where are you?”
“Don’t you have the honey of rebirth?”
(Security alerts and police alarms echoes)
(Facing towards the audience and saying)
“Where is my life leading to?”…. (Crying)
“You guess that I am dead”
“Parted are my dreams, my love…”
“Where is my stage?
“Where are my spectators?”
“Where are my friends?”
“I need to act”
“My pals and my dreams about drama……….”
Drama,………………….
In dark hears the sound of a gun fire once more

(Pops in the security alert again and go off the light
All the actors in one crash thunders “Bring some Light” “Bring some Light”, “Bring some Light)


Scene 7
The stage reflects the atmosphere of a drama rehearsal camp
Actor 1(The hero): “My favourite is Shakespeare’s Hamlet………………..
Oh! God! Let my weighing body transform into a dew drop…………
Should I kill him or not..
It is that easy for me to kill him now…
I will not, I will not
If I kill him, he will be given abode in the kingdom of heaven so I will not
My father, he allowed not even the gentle breeze from heaven to coddle my
mom’s face
But he was killed at his rest in the garden by pouring boiling alloy in his ears
Why then should I send him to heaven? Never
I won’t allow him to heaven
Frailty thy name is women”
All the others appreciate him
Actor 2: “My favourite character is Mark Antony”
He acts like Mark Antony and others applaud him
Actor 1: “I will materialize your dreams”
“My salary for a week at abroad is enough to have stage here”
“I will find a stage for you my friends and lets us act together”
All the actors in one tune says “Life is a drama”
Actor 2: “My friend you lilts our hope”
Actor 3: My pal, you are our hero
Actor 4: My dear, you are our dream of drama
Actor 5: My loving pal, your are our life
In dark hears the sound of a gun fire
All the actors in one crash thunders “Bring some Light”, “Bring some Light”, “Bring some Light

Scene 8
The wounded hero on stage speaks
“Am I a cunning fellow?”
“If then I should have predicted this before”
“Now its loss alone for me”
“Don’t you have sight?”
“I have already received four bullets”
“My parents, my love, my friends, our dreams….”
“Oh! God! I can’t see them any more”
“I am a witness for the silent you”
“But remember I am one among you”
“Which law is my bona fide force?”
“I am tried, I can’t run any more”
“Our descendants will revenge this for sure”
(In dark hears the sound of a gun fire)
Scene 9
The stage explains the ambience of friends having a poetic discussion
Actor 1: “Keats is my favourite, and he sings a poem by John Keats”
Actor 2: “I like Daffodils of Wordsworth”
Actor 3: “I just love Shelly”
And the discussion continues…….
Actor 4 (The hero): “Stop the discussion and argument”
“I can give you the world of poems you dream about”
All the other actors together ask “Which is that world?” and out of happiness
Actor 1: “dear, you are great”
Actor 2: “Let your lifespan be a century”
Actor 3: “My friend, you don’t have death”, “Long live my dear, long live”
Actor 4: “Truth is poem, which are you my friends”
“Truth is poem and they are clouds, rain, pouring rain, the rain those showers even after long time”
“Let us row together with powerful poems………….”
All sings in united
Goes off the lights again
All the actors in one crash thunders “Bring some Light” “Bring some Light”, “Bring some Light

At the back echoes the below
“You death is our need. If you are dead we are safe “
“Your absurd conversations spoiled our drama”
“You can’t act anymore”
The hero in low breath yells in his maximum sound
“No, I shall die in the hands of time”
“But you can’t win me, of course can ruin me but can’t win me”
“You can’t defeat me”
“The audience is not at all an issue for me………”
“Come on, come on…..”
“Anybody loyal to this stage, come on………………”
In dark hears the sound of a gun fire
The hero falls down and dies
Hears a ………at the back
The stage light goes off again
Scene 11
At stage apologies the PM of UK
Actor 1: “I pity him”
Actor 2: “Oh! God! He is dead”
On the other side
Actor 3: we have won, yes we have won
Actor 4: He is defeated
Scene 12
(The hero speaks again on the stage)
“You won’t identify me”
“I am the one who died in the mid of acting”
“I am the dupe of the dead actor ……..”
“The person assigned to tell the rest of the tale……….”
“Bring me some light………..and let the drama continues…”
“Let the doves of peace fly all over the earth………”





Scene 10
The hero on stage roars
“Where are my actor friends?”
“Where are my poems?”
“Is it likely for you to save me?”
“No”
“Just look and keep silence”
“You are helpless”
“You have everything but still you are void”
“Dear spectators…”
“The story is about to finish”
“But then no force can obstruct”
“The game of fate is beyond human hands”
In louder voice…
“I have no death”
“Dead are my dreams”
“I will live again”
“I will live here and there as well”
“I will live now and ever”
“Forgive me, I am not god”
In dark hears the sound of a gun fire

Wednesday 29 October 2008

ആത്മസഖി

കാത്തിരുന്നാല്‍ ഓര്‍മ്മവര്രും ഒരു മധുവേണു നാദംമധുരം
കരളിലത്ആവര്‍ത്തിച്ചുപെയ്യും നിലക്കാത്ത ഗീതം
എന്നുമെന്നിക്ക് കേള്‍ക്കാം രാഗം നീയിരുന്നു സലപിക്കും പോലെ
ഉള്ളര്നിരുന്നു ഓരോ ഓര്‍മ്മകളും ഉള്ളില്‍ കാണനും എകത്ന്ത കാമുകന്‍

Monday 27 October 2008

കവിത:പ്രണയ പാലാഴി



വെറുതെ കടല്‍ത്തിര കണ്ടാല്‍ പാടും പ്രണയ പാലാഴി കണ്ട കമ്മുക്ന്‍ ഞാന്‍
കേഴും അവന്‍ ചിലപ്പോള്‍ ഒരിറ്റു വെള്ളതിനായീ കടലില്‍ ചാടും അവന്‍ ഞാന്‍
എന്നും അവന്നുള്ളില്‍ ഒഴുകുന്ന മധുരം പ്രണയത്തിന്‍ പാലാഴി മഥനം
കാലമിന്നു മഴ്യയയീ പെയ്താല്‍ കാന്നാം മഴവില്ലില്‍ അവന്നും അവള്ളും
കൊതി തീരും വരെ മഴപെയ്തതിരരഗിയ ശരീരം ഈ കടലിന്‍ ദേഹം സുന്ദരം
മതിയാക്കുംവരെ സൂര്യന്‍ പൊതിഞ്ഞ ദേഹം കടലിന്‍ പ്രണയ താപം
അവനെന്നും അവള്‍ക്കയീ തുടിക്കും ഒരു താളം തിരമാലതന്‍ താളം
ഇന്ദു പുഷ്പമയീ അവള്‍ വന്നു നില്ക്കും പാടും അവന്‍ കടലോര കവിതകള്‍
പ്രണയം നല്കിയ മധുരം പന്കുവക്കാന്‍ നീ വരില്ലേ നീ എവിടെ ...നീ
പരിഭവമെന്തീ പ്രന്നയതിലലാതെ ഒരു ശ്വാസവും നിന്നെ ഒര്കാതെ ഈ ജന്മമില്ല
ഒന്നും മിടാതെ നീ പോയീ ഇന്നു ഓരോ തിരയില്ലും നിനീ തിരയുന്നു ഞാന്‍
കാലത്തില്‍ എന്നെങില്ലും നമ്മള്‍ ഒഴിയും അതുവരീഹൃദയം പ്രണയ പാലാഴി

DEEPAVALI

Deepavali

A dwell Dom of peace for a long return journey

One more short travel of 10 minutes duration in 101,The Manor park bus. Thus an end for the day of busy scheduled. Only anticipation!

Punctuality and Planning! I have seen no other place like this nation to practise punctuality and planning. They practice this even to have rest and to relax. But I relax here and there knowingly and unknowingly.

Punctuality, the perfectionist in the kingdom of death
Planning, the sarcastic hero in the drama of life’s events

Swiping the wonderful key of Oyster card I came out of the tube(Tube train )Station. Along scattered the rushing mass into four parts of the directions
Heard then an unusual sound of shooting. But it did not scare anybody and no one had any terrifying odd expressions…

“Are they used to this?”
“No never…
The twinkling stars in the black sky, the popping spring lights
My God! It’s been long days since I had a glimpse over the sky! The disappearing glittering light!

Someone at my back murmered,”Excuse me please”.

Oh! It seems that I was obstructing someone’s way …

You know, Hindu’s are celebrating Deepavali
Deepavali, a festival of lights the reminding words of a stranger
Stranger, an English man

*X* *X* *X*


Go, go and get some more crackers for another 30 rupees also. If not you have to wait another long one more year to experience the excitement of this festival of lights. Lights of purity! Long wait of days, months,……………..My goodness I rushed to my favourite Thankapannan’s corner petty shop.

An assorted mix of different crackers beautifully packed in a big newspaper cone. The glowing radiance of sparkling crackers in fullness
Fullness in my eyes and heart
(Near and dear ones play makes all looking eyes of elders) ????
Sweets sounds of playing children, bursting sounds of crackers, etc.
The real ambiance of Deepavali
The peeping smile of blinking stars behind the dark veil!
When eyes closed feel as if a musical instruments playing at its own without the will of the performer concern.
Mom, Dad, sister, brother, friends, relatives ……..The tone of love built in the feel of lights.

Had waited in patience to celebrate the mood of lights

100days,50 days, 25 days,10,5,2,……..However, today I realised this festival day of lights from an English gentleman.

With no one to say and share, the cracking lights are enjoying in the sky, creating tiny but heartfelt pains and dropping tears.

The lights in the sky, someone’s deepavali

Yes, I know dear, Deepavalli the festival of lights; I murmured in silence to myself.

Friday 24 October 2008

Hamlet

"Hamlet"

"Was I able to act …?" Yes! I was able to act.Like the changing facial embellishment of colours in acting, suddenly reflected my mind the varying moments of my acting. I felt the satisfactory breathe of acting performance.How it happened…?Unanswerable questions of no use …. Could be because of the complete involvement I rendered towards the character forgetting the personal identity…!If truth be told it could be because of my passion towards the characters and story or could be because of the loving presence of hearty relations as spectators.Yet another incident at some point in me realised the heartfelt blessings of my father and the supreme creator. Anyway I coped to go to the backstage in complete fulfilment The grooming players for the next play Some are gearing up their confidence by repeatedly mediating the powerful dialogues…! Some are picking up tips in vain to emphasize the decorative mix up of face-paint to renovate the personality into character…!Some are in an attempt to amuse the listeners with maximum exaggeration on look to craft the role of clown…! These are people who dye themselves into the dreamy characters of the storywriter to engage in recreation of diverse emotions and we call them theatre artists…! Hopefully few didn't identify me as I was with the makeup in drama costume or may possibly be their pretension also. Because that they too are actors as well. In fact to be very open, even I couldn't identify many of them.Why this paradoxical relation between performers and society? The mind reflected for a while. Amidst came in an individual from the crowd and said, "That was an amazing performance and the play really went well", appreciated a humble listener.Colourful Bulbs of halogen in plenty got illuminated in my mind as a decorated stage. The "hamlet" might have lived in me. The character might have laboured and died in me without my knowledge. If shakes sphere was alive then he might have taken me to his global theatre and I too would have grown artistically like…"Laurence Oliver"… (I and my father had astonished on seeing his wonderfully grant acting) ….When I stood reflecting such old days, petrified my mind for no reason. At what time will it be possible for me to perform "Hamlet" again?How big would be the theatre planet of the world dramatist shakesphere? How lucky I will be if I could visit his place…? (In 2004 I visited his birth place at Stratford upon Avon)Acting, writing, staging, music and moreover the devoted life of the actors for such literary engagements….God!I too started dreaming an actor's world of normal life to lead like any other ordinary individual. "Look, you be here like this dreaming this and that. Nearly everyone are like you, had dreamt a lot about theatre performance, but been unsuccessful in life.Actually what is your mind-set?Listen; leave all built-up makeup and dressings and reach home early. These are not going to give you any worldly benefits You and your omelette …"The friend continued his serious criticism sarcastically.In all sense that was a controlling punishment of sober to the greedy actor in me.It may perhaps possible for me to obey certain well-wishers like him.But none know the growing pain of the aspiring foetus of drama performance in me …!Yes. Me, the actors, the friends, the society and a contest of one act plays…!