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 Hilda David
Director
[English Theatre ]
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Which is the last best play you saw and why?
JAZZ at Prithvi with my theatre students. The boy (Rhys Dsouza) who played the sax was superb.
Your favourite adda to see a play…
It will have to be the Vishwabhavan at Symbiosis College. We have hosted all the our theatre fests and staged our plays in the auditorium.
Your favourite playwright …
Henrik Ibsen. His theatre craft may appear bland, but he created highly evolved performance texts; and fabulous women characters.
Your favourite play-character …
Dr Stockman from ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE. Hedda Gabler from HEDDA GABLER. Joe Keller in ALL MY SONS. Sakharam Binder from SAKHARM BINDER and Tughlaq from TUGHLAQ!
A play you would like to see filmed. Why?
Bollywood should adapt the Greek tragedies.
A novel/short story you would like to see on stage? Why?
I think Pandit Satyadev Dubey's life should be made into a play. It can be an eight hour epic production.
The most hilarious play you have seen …
Satish Alekar's MAHANIRWAN.
A play, which is over-hyped…
Most plays from NSD.
An important play (but ignored):
WHAY MI SAVITRIBAI performed by Sushama Deshpande.
A passage from an important play that you can recite…
Portia's bit in MERCHANT OF VENICE.
A classical play that you should have read …
Some of Shakespeare's lesser-known plays.
A play that changed your perception about the theatre …
Ramu Ramanathan's 3 SAKINA MANZIL. Plus a stunning production of THE DOLL’S HOUSE performed in an actual home in Oslo.
How do you regard the Mumbai theatre scene?
My students and me travel from Pune to Mumbai to see plays; and so the theatre scene better be good.
Have you read any interesting books/articles concerning the theatre? Why did you find them interesting?
Bill Bryson on Shakespeare. Shanta Gokhale's book on Marathi Theatre. Sadanand Menon's essays in Economic Times and now Business Standard. Some of Samik Bandhopadhyaya's interviews and prefaces.
If you have ever been a part of a theatre production/s, can you recall an event that was insightful, significant or simply humorous?
At the Vishwabhavan auditorium, we have a "control freak" who is the manager of the auditorium. Every rehearsal and show is a series of strategies in which we have to appease him.
Can you think of a foreign production that you found remarkable? Why?
A 21st century techno-savvy version of GHOSTS. In India, we will not dare such a production.
A significant Indian production that you may have witnessed …
Satyadev Dubey's production of DEAR LIAR.
Life in the theatre without the humble batata-wada or the cutting chai or if you please brownies that are snuggling chocolate bits… or can you recall the best gastronomic experience you've had in the precincts of the theatre to date?
My bottle of water is my constant companion.
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