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| Sunday, 6 July 2003 |
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The Josephian Cast. Speaking to three of them, Rajive Ponweera(Brutus)-won best actor, Leon Arendtsz(Cassius)-won best supporting actor and Sandesh Gunesekera(Massala), not only do I get a literature lesson on Shakespeare's J.C, but an insight on J.C. behind the scenes, the injuries of the day, the directorship of the director, why j.c? (this one's a real male chauvinistic point of view), the Josephian jinx...plus...plus...plus... The Cast A thirty five member cast, of which the youngest was 14, is described by all three as "a family". Leon says "We had a good understanding of each other and worked together as a team". I am told that at no time was anyone's place in the play secure as the director (I'll be getting back on this one) was strict and would not hesitate to remove a person if they slacked. So with a "slack means sack" motto, the Joe cast, they say, was an "experienced" and "disciplined" lot. The Rehearsals In shorts, t-shirts and Bata slippers, the lot would meet up at around 4.00 P.M. everyday for practices. While the rest of the cast had started rehearsing four months before, these three musketeers entered the scene just one and a half months before the semis, due to their A's. Says Rajiv "We had to go for practices on the very day our exams finished". Anyway, meeting up at four in the evening, the props would be made ready, two run ups of the play "supposedly" done, and the disciplined crew would wait for their captain-Jehan Aloysius (In a moment. In a moment), who would come after finishing his job on other shores (I am told it's the first time he's directing while working), and rehearsals would go on until 11.00 p.m. With the semis coming closer-until two-three in the morning. One thing these Joe-Shake-Dramatists would probably never forget about their rehearsals would be the number of injuries which took place. What with ankles being twisted, noses being broken and eyes being scratched there seemed to have been quite a few, I mean a lot, of Humpty Dumpties around. The biggest of them all was, Leon says, "This big guy called B who fell on top of a chariot driver and squashed him flat. The poor guy could not breath and nor turn up for practices, the next day". The Josephian "Do and Don't List" Talking about rehearsals the guys not only had practices, but keep fit programmes as well. Here is the Josephian "Do and Don't List" they had to follow upto the finals. Don't's 1.Don't have iced-drinks Jehan's Corner What does it take to make a successful director? "Deadlines, strategies and discipline" says Leon speaking admiringly of their director - Jehan. (Hey Jehan. I must say although I've heard plenty about you from other sources closer to home, I was intrigued with the impression you've left on these guys. They look up to you). Directors play the main role in any drama. It is they who bring out the best in an actor. Young J seems to have done this from the amount of work and effort he has put in, as told by Leon, Rajiv and Sandesh. Rajiv says "He's an enthusiastic director. He planned the whole thing before even meeting us. The costume designs, props and sounds are all his idea". With Jehan too, it turns out to be that drama is not just about acting, but planning and doing much of the small jobs as well, cause with the exception of tailoring the costumes, the Joes seem to have done a spot of carpentry and painting as well. Doing a play with J in the end of the day, they say is like doing a life education course. Says Leon "With Jehan it's not just about drama. We learn so much more on life, leadership, responsibility and personality". So Why J.C? Why??? Cause it's a MASCULINE play. "It's a masculine play which lot of boys like" say Rajive. Well, on a much more sorrowful note, the guys it turns out, have absolutely no understanding of women, that they cannot fathom how to act as one. "J.C's a play in which you can do excerpts without having a female part come in, which makes it easier for us guys" says Leon. "Yes" agrees Sandesh "Being guys it's easier to act as males, than females". The Josephian Jinx Did you know the Joes used to fear a jinx which they say today they have now proved wrong? Says Sandesh "The jinx was that if a Josephian won awards such as best actor etc, we wouldn't win the finals. We've shown this to be untrue this year". So what was it like performing in the finals? "It was this major feeling. electrifying" Rajiv says. "Getting the best supporting actor was great, but winning the finals meant more" says Leon. Yippeeeee...! Let's talk about celebrations. What did these guys do? "Nothing official" they say "just the traditional". The traditional meanwhile turns out to be an eat out at McDonald's, filling the trophy with a cocktail of Coke, Fanta, Seven Up, Ginger Beer etc, passed around and sipped by everyone. Only thing was that this time around the cup leaked. "Still" says Rajiv "it was lovely to have something chilled after a long time". The Scene Right. Enough from behind the scenes. Let's lastly move on to the scenes themselves, which focused on the relationship between Brutus and Cassius for a change. Brutus and Cassius have been chased from Rome. Brutus accuses Cassius of taking bribes, which Cassius denies. Brutus, Rajiv says speaking of his character, was an honest and just person. "When killing Caesar I did it for justice, as I say in the play - Shall one of us that struck the foremost man of all this world if not for justice at the midst-". The bribe taking accusation breaks Brutus and Cassius apart, but later reunite them in greater strength and trust. Says Leon of Cassius who is often seen as the villain, "Cassius did mastermind the conspiracy, but he had his reasons. He was an elderly member of the senate and army who did not like the fact that Caesar was becoming too powerful and felt he had to be stopped for the good of Rome". In these scenes which the Josephians portrayed we see another side of Cassius which is more human and emotional, as can be seen through the great friendship he and Brutus shared to the end in which both Brutus and Cassius die as noble men (as those days in Rome it was considered a noble act to die by your own hand or the hand of your friend than by the hand of your foe). Brutus's last words, which Rajive expressedly carried out still lingers in mind..."Caesar now be still for I kill not thee with half so good a will". PS-The trio mentioned here are all into drama, singing and watching movies. They are Interactors and members of the English Literature Union. Rajiv and Sandesh have been in Shake before, while Leon just stepped into it for the first time, after playing the lead role Ramses in "The Prince of Egypt". Leon, who first stepped on stage for a rugger felicitation ceremony, and hates growing his hair, is often described by his friends as "An Egoistic Bald". Rajive the "Silent Guy" who loves to wear kurtas, says Leon "is VERY punctual". He has also has been trying to do a spot of reading with "Les Miserables", and has progressed as far as the end of the first book, to the introduction of Valjean. Sandesh, after playing cricket for a long time, switched onto a bit of tennis, and at the moment has a craze for sarongs. PPS - There's much more detailed info on these guys, but as usual I am faced with that blasting problem of space, so I'll have to leave 'em behind. Bye. Farah *The Inter School Shakespeare Drama Competition was organised by the Rotary Club of Colombo North and the Central Y.M.C.A, in association with the Ceylon Thespians. |
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Welcome
to the guys behind the winning "Julius Ceasar" of the boy's
final at the Inter school Shakespeare Drama Competition 2003.
