Nobody's Perfect:

A piece of entertaining theatre

By Dilshan Boange

February 8 saw the opening night of Nobody's Perfect (Love is all around) by dramatist and drama director Jehan Bastians at the Lionel Wendt auditorium staged by the theatre group 'Silent Hands'. A comedy woven around the theme of mayhem that erupts due to identity concealment and masquerading feigned identities. The play is an original story scripted by Bastians with an ensemble of four characters (with one who plays a wordless cameo as a passerby) set in an urban middleclass non-traditional family scenario.

The central character is Steve De Zilva, an aspiring writer dedicated against all seeming negativism to prevail in his goal to be an author of fiction. Desperation can lead people to do strange things as shown through the character of Steve who under female 'nom de plumes' submits sample chapters of novels to a feminist publisher in active search for female writers. Bastians has very interestingly played on some aspects of contemporary society that reflects certain approaches and operations developed by publishers to seek out marketable material for the literature market(s) of present.

I have wondered myself whether one chooses to be an artistes or is one fated to be so? The answer is both, I believe. Steve De Zilva is a classic case who consciously ventures to achieve the mantle of an 'artiste' in the context of contemporary society. And what Bastians has created in the character of Steve and his larger social context is to show that if one is to lead the life of a layman not divorced from the manifold burdens of domestic life who does not opt for Bohemianism and a life dedicated solely to the pursuance of artistic expression and the satisfaction got thereby, the realities of market play when it comes to art must be reconciled to, if one is bent on making a living out of one's art.

Although the play is meant to be a comedy and entertain the audience who seek enjoyment in the comic, there is a certain deeper symbolic thread of contemplation embedded in the plight of poor Steve who cannot find acceptance for his writing for what it is and for who he is -a male.

Comedy's purpose of old

Comedy, in its evolution as an approach to communicate between performers and an audience is an art which has been subtly political sometimes skilfully sewn apolitical garbs that could in its impressions to the subconscious be more political than the outright pulpit harangues making calls to action. Comedy thereby enjoys immunities which the brazenly open critique may not. And theatre, which became one of the first channels of communication and dialogue on issues affecting people of a given state in a given time, became a 'space' where different modes of communicating issues to multitudes could be experimented.

Comedy was once such a modality where 'how you say it' becomes the cover against censorious authorities and holders of power. However, in the light of these things one, may wonder has comedy today lost its cause? Has comedy of the old lost its voice of purpose in the midst of hyper consumerist commercialisation which is fast becoming the order of the day?

Although in Europe, prior to its 'discovery of modernism', the theatre was a very political 'space' and possibly still is. Ruhanie Perera, a founder of the theatre company 'Floating Space', who was one of my lecturers at Colombo varsity, once said in class, that in our country theatre was not considered a ground of great political concern by the state.

The character composite

And I felt reflexively compelled to add that very moment -"Until Richard de Zoysa got killed". Ruhanie repeated the sentence in endorsement and affirmation -"Until Richard de Zoysa got killed". Comedy can be a powerful force for thought stimulus on serious issues when crafted intelligently.

But perhaps the climate(s) inhabited and felt by the audience too matters for the result of such comedy to go beyond the ebullient laughs that fill the theatre hall.

Woven in the comedy that thrilled the audience with numerous approaches that included the senility of the rickety but amorous Mike De Zilva, Steve's father compelled to live with his son after being expelled from the retirement home he resided for gross indecency, the dramatics of the nonconformist squeaky voiced young Abigail De Zilva Steve's teenage daughter who is reported to have a tattoo of the words 'Strictly Private' on an undisclosed part of her body which is not likely to be ever seen by her father, the susceptibility of Laura Gunathilake the feminist publisher who is revealed to be not a man-hater but quite a sensually attuned woman, the chaotic dichotomy of gender portrayals that lead Steve to masquerade as his own aunt, there is a very potent subject which is of much contention and debate amongst erudities and academics of today which is 'gender politics'.

Did Bastians and his company intend to bring out these issues for public contemplation through Nobody's Perfect (Love is all around)? I will not infer what is not obviously stated through the text of the play by declaring my own analysis of what may be read out of the work as the 'irrefutable subtext' of the drama.

Artistes should not be subjected to such interpretations of disservice by reviewers and critics, I feel. But maybe the play can make its audience leave the auditorium with something more than only the feeling of their enlivened spirits caused by the laughter that is well warranted by the script acted out by the talented players.

Markets and ideologies

Market economics is at the heart of what is the seeming ideologically shaped stance of the publishing operation run by Laura. It is a statistical fact after all that women are in the numerical majority in the present human race. In the larger context of the publishing industry what is sold is what matters to most 'vendors of books', over championing an artistic cause to further contemporary literature.

And what is garbed as 'for women by women' could very well be a powerful marketing line that will champion the cause of business over artistic expression or ideological statement.

On the line of gender issues and contemporary perceptions and contentions Bastians as the playwright played on a rather witty thrust of word play at the point where Laura tells Steve over the phone that books published by her label are strictly "By women for women" and invites Steve to quip back with the question -"is that by with 'y' or 'i'?"

Uproarious laughter erupted at this 'tongue in cheek' which comically hinted at how matters of 'gender politics' may very well be inherently extensive to issues of 'sexualities'. One of the 'takes' on feminism is that there is a strong thrust of lesbianism involved in the whole cause of a women's lib agenda which is not directly stated but an objective that is dealt 'under the table'.

'By', 'bi' and 'buy'

Although Bastians doesn't put any of the cards on the matters relating to the taboos of 'forbidden loves' to be coupled with the gender aspects involved in his story unfolding on the boards, to play out a round of political poker on gender and sexuality issues in contemporary Sri Lankan society, that single line on if the letter 'y' or 'i' is what applies, if dissected with more incisiveness can be read into a context of 'homophonic significance' allowing a certain revelation as to how gender and sexuality link up to 'markets'.

The words 'by' and 'bi' if switched is what Steve jibes about. And both those words find a homophonic kinship with the word 'buy'. The word 'buy' is one of the most fundamental and basic of words in the English language that speak of the layman understanding of trade and commerce.

Packaging that sells

Ideologies are marketable as are gender and sexuality issues, provided the right 'packaging' is done. Bastians in his play brings out symbolisms of these contemporary truths through a man forced to cross-dress to gain 'marketability' and witty word play strategically placed that hints of the elements about gender and sexuality would find a market in today's society. Ultimately Laura's press is about selling to women. It is about producing what would like to 'buy'.

Whether it is to women who are heterosexual, homosexual or bisexual, in the true spirit of a business(wo)man wouldn't really matter.

The ideological garbs paraded in certain sectors of trade and commerce is part of marketing, product positioning and advertising. Because the fact of the matter is that Laura saw it fit to award a publishing contract to the value of one million to a manuscript written actually by a man, a creature who is biologically male.

A writer was unfortunately discriminated because of his gender and not for lack of writing prowess. Food for thought one could say, about how the tables are turning, on the status quo when it comes to 'gender discrimination', in a world of ever increasing consumerist market politics.

About the set

Sitting in the balcony under the gentle darkness at the Wendt, one of the first impressions of the play made on me as the curtain opened was that the set had been rather well done.

The realities of 'stage space' had been well grasped and worked on by the people behind the production. A minimalist motif that affords a cost-effective solution to some had certainly not been on the directorial agenda of Silent Hands.

These were some of the thoughts that came to mind as I scanned the set for details which showed a tastefully done domestic setup annexed by a partition to a small but well done office, which although may have seemed a bit cramped at the point Steve, towards the latter part of the play, barges into meet Laura, certainly served the purpose of the performance with no apparent deficiencies.

The producers Javin Thomas and Billam Poulier along with whoever else from the group sweated for the cause of the elaborate set should be applauded.

The undeclared sixth person

The character ensemble was one that was kept as what is structural to the unfolding of the storyline and wasn't cluttered with faces whose presence may not be 'functionary' save perhaps the dialogue deprived 'passerby' who nevertheless seemed to reflect the 'landscape' which Steve is in at the time he stands out in the rain unable to go inside the house for fear of being discovered by Laura that he is in fact the authoress 'Tootsie Malone'. Considering how the character of Steve puts on a convincing charade to Laura as the claimed Tootsie who has been there done that and very much a woman of the world who in her heyday had the world at her fingertips, one may even say that there were in fact six 'characters' in all performed by a group of five players.

The incorrigible Mike

From amongst the roles that came alive on stage it is possible that the most laughter eliciting one was that of Mike De Silva crafted by Bastians as an incorrigible old father who is trying to relive his salad days with boisterousness, which is ample reason for hilarity. The role was performed by Avishka De Alwis who delivered the entertaining character convincingly. The makeup department had certainly been at work the most with making this character's visage convincing, which given the vintage of Mike De Silva was needed rather noticeably. Manoeuvring his bodily motoring to both resemble a man of the grandfatherly vintage and also be 'pronounced' to add to the comic persona De Alwis appeared to have the garb of the elder De Zilva well fitted on for the theatre.

Squeaky Abby

I do not know how old Trinushka Perera, the actress who played Abigail De Zilva actually is, but Bastians has clearly made a very good casting decision, appearance-wise, in choosing Perera for the role which gave the character a sense of authenticity in terms of visage. Perera was believable as a schooling 'young adult' and her somewhat bratty disposition to her father with an ever so gapingly wide generation gap was brought out well with ease.

One of the functions of this character which Perera delivered well in her manner of playing out the interactivity with De Alwis's character was how 'Abby' as how Abigail is more often called in the play, connects better with her grandfather than her father and doing it so as to not rupture the status quo applicable within our societal conventions.

Though they may be more socially compatible, and Abby sees a more sociable, companionable person in De Zilva senior that doesn't mean the grandfather has ceased in his place of seniority and the right thereby as in our society to be treated considerately.

The one shortcoming that I felt in the performance by Perera was that her words weren't well enunciated as the others. The squeaky voice which Perera projected did make the character of Abby livelier and theatrical but it did dilute at times the acoustic clarity of her dialogues, at least in being carried to where I sat.

Neidra Williams who is a name, a face, a voice well known in English theatre was without a doubt being the most seasoned performer in the production. The character of Laura which she brought to life on the boards certainly had a strong presence.

Kanishka Herat's Steve cum Tootsie

The central character of Steve being played by Kanishka Herat proved to me the strong hunch I had when I saw Chaos at the Vicarage in 2011 in which he played the role of the Bishop of Lax, which was that he would in the not too distant future be a face who will come to prominence in the Colombo theatre circuit. Herat quite clearly showed through the role he was tasked with that he possesses inherent talent as a stage actor. The clarity of voice, strong facial expression and his ease of movement executed with theatrical dexterousness make him a natural for the stage.

However, I did have the question brewing in me watching Herat play the role of Steve who pines for Laura, as to whether Bastians made the best casting decision in choosing the man who could do justice to the protagonist he scripted? Herat fits into the shoes of Steve De Zilva -single father with greying hair quite convincingly, until he is juxtaposed with Laura played by Williams.

There was a quite noticeable discrepancy in the 'appearances of maturity' that caused a disharmony in the characters from appearing as of the same generation or being peers as per the storyline. It is no doubt relativity at play.

But Steve, played by Herat, when he comes of 'courting closeness' to Laura played by Williams, seemed somehow lessened in his stature as the Steve who stands to a full measure of convincingness in his domestic set-up. It is not to say that Herat's acting was overshadowed by that of Williams's but that there was a visible surface incongruity that was a barrier to the scene's convincingness. Yes of course Herat and Williams are of two generations and their physical appearances cannot be reengineered to the requirements of the drama. Therefore, my commentary in this regard is a matter that relates to casting and the calls made by the director.

Tootsie

One of the points that I feel should be looked at with a more critical eye is how the script didn't offer any background within the text of the drama on the source of Steve's inspiration for his pseudonym, the Sydney Pollack film starring Dustin Hoffman Tootise. Steve picks up a DVD cover and revealing its front to the audience exclaims "Tootsie!" And hey presto he has his pen name! But I wondered if Bastians thought the audience would be one where all would be well acquainted with the film in question.

Tootise is a film from the early 80s of the last century, and I first watched it as a schoolboy back in the era of VHS cassettes. What I remember most about it is the love ballad 'It might be you'. A fuller picture of the source of the scheme that gets spun in Steve's head some description of the film Tootise, if it had been built strategically into the dialogue could have given better insight to any in the audience who may not have known about the film.

Although the sum of one million offered in the publishing contract is unrealistic in Sri Lankan terms of present and believing Laura's desperateness to be unquestioningly convinced of Tootsie Malone's gender authenticity until the last requires some imaginativeness to play along with, Bastians together with his team put on a quality production which must be commended for its prowess to be entertaining. A piece of entertaining theatre, which I hope will generate more discussion on some of the issues that prevail in society today nuanced through the nets of laughter.