Overworked and underpaid…

Which is why the city lacks a dedicated breed of full-time theatre professionals. Most actors, producers and directors have other full-time professions that pay thebills. The stage unfortunately is relegated to a part-time passion. The best examples of this second breed are Rahul da Cunha and Alyque Padamsee — both of whom are actively involved in advertising. This weekend da Cunha’s I Am Not Bajirao will be staging its 84th show — and despite the odds, its director is buoyant about the state of English theatre. "There are too many people who are passionate about it to let that happen," he says.

And he’s right. Apart from directors like Toni Patel who is continuing to stage Oleanna, even though she is not hopeful of breaking even — the burden of keeping English theatre alive and vibrant falls squarely on the actors. Patel’s two-character play about the power struggle between a man and a woman, is a prime example of this dedication. Her play stars Vijay Crishna, a well-known theatre personality who has acted in over a 100 plays.

This busy managing director of Godrej-GE Appliances sticks with stage for the love of it. "It helps me learn about life,"says Crishna. Which is why he tries to be involved in at least three to four plays every year despite a hectic schedule. "You do not get into theatre for the money — you know you cannot make money from it," adds Crishna. Avaan Patel, his co-star in Oleanna agrees. She pays her bills by doing voice-overs for radio and television but lives for theatre. Says she, "I could not survive without theatre. It is like breathing for me."

But sometimes this breath is like a death rattle. "If we made more money we could concentrate more on theatre," rues Avaan. Anahita Uberoi of Seascapes with Shark and Dancer seconds that opinion. "More money would make things a lot more disciplined," she says. She too has taken the route of voice-overs and television to earn additional money. "Television has helped us, as it allows actors to earn their living through acting. Those who work in theatre believe it is the purest form of the craft. But no one can just stick to theatre, you have to have another source ofincome," she says.

In the West, the struggle is the same but once you land a role, money starts to come in. Plays are done in blocks and actors get paid even for rehearsals. Add to that a normal play run of three months and your bills are taken care of for at least half the year. Says Sohrab Ardeshir, a theatre actor in the States who can be seen on Mumbai’s stage in Art and Six Degrees Of Separation, "It is a serious profession out there. And if you hit Broadway you can live on what you earn."

In India, most actors come to rehearsals after a hard day’s work — tired and often not able to get under the skin of their character. But such is the resilience and love for their job, that the city’s stagehands have turned this to their advantage. "You can hold a normal job and act in a play as rehearsals take place either later in the day or during the weekends — so anyone who wants can be a part of the industry," says Anahita. And it’s this support to English theatre that fills the coming monthscalendar: Lilette Dubey’s Jaya; Aamir Raza Hussain’s Saare Jahan Se Achcha; Rahul da Cunha-Anahita Uberoi and Vikram Kapadia’s monologues; and at the end of the year da Cunha’s restaging of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Coat. Excitement and innovation continue to add drama to the stage.