Stage Play competition at IIT Delhi’s Rendezvous 2013- Day 1

IIT Delhi is known from producing one of North India’s biggest Annual College festival Rendezvous, where thousands of students from multiple colleges come to explore the ‘fun’ side of the college life. The fun which the festival offers to the students is to be cherished for a long time. This writer too has his nostalgic moments at Rendezvous! This year’s stage play competition saw a wide range of performance from the theatre groups of various colleges from North India- just like any other year!

The stage play competition at IIT Delhi is divided into two parts- Prelims and Finals. Different colleges have to perform a maximum 15 minute portion from their play in the preliminary round and if selected they get to perform the entire play in the finals in the Seminar Hall of IIT Delhi, which can be termed as a decent auditorium as well! The preliminary round took place on October 19, 2013 between 6:30pm to 11:30pm. A total of 13 teams from 12 colleges participated in the competition. Six teams were selected to perform in the final round of the stage play competition- scheduled on October 20, 2013- 7pm onward in the Seminar Hall.

The teams and the Plays:

1. Kamla Nehru College, Delhi performed Godavari- an adaptation of Samuel Beckett’s ‘Waiting for Godot’.

The short presentation of the play could not meet the expectation of what one expects from a Samuel Beckett adaptation. The play very interestingly adapted an all-girl avatar contrary to Beckett’s all male version.

2. Shivaji College, Delhi performed ‘Kutte’.

The play could nicely deliver the inner conflict of a widow and a salesman in a remote village. The short presentation could highlight few good performances as well.

3. Gargi College, Delhi performed ‘Blind Spot’.

A scene from the play ‘Blind Spot’

The play was a tale of the so called ‘crazy people’. The play delivered the idea that what often appears for the world may not be what actually the ‘crazy people’ think or feel. Different individuals have different stories to share, which may not be shared at many occasions.

4. Netaji Subhash Institute of Technology, Delhi performed a self-scripted play ‘Pagdandi’.

The play shared the story of an old couple in a village in Uttar Pradesh, and the father’s relation with his son.

5. Shri Ram College of Commerce, Delhi performed ‘The Nerd’.

The play was a tale of a surprise party which takes few interesting turns and results in even more surprises for the characters! The play had few nice comic moments, slapstick in nature.

6. Shaheed Sukhdev College of Business Studies, Delhi performed ‘Six Characters in Search of an Author’ by Luigi Pirandello and ‘Peele Scooter Waala Aadmi’ by Manav Kaul.

A scene from the play ‘Six Characters in Search of an Author’

Both the plays belonged to great playwrights in their own respect, but sadly, the college theatre group could not match the expectations.

7. Delhi Technical University, Delhi performed ‘Fandi’.

The play shares a story of a truck driver who is jailed for the charge of the murder of his own father, whom he once loved so much. The actor who performed the character of Fandi did a great job, and was as real as possible.

8. NIEC, Delhi performed ‘The strange Case of Doctor J.’

The play presented a story of a scientist who is obsessed with his findings. They presentation failed to communicate well with the audience.

9. PCTE, Ludhiana performed ‘Andhe Hain Hum’.

A scene from the play ‘Hum Andhe Hain’

The play was a tragic tale of two blind beggars in Ambala, who discuss their mundane life with each other. The play was beautifully laced with live music and brilliant acting. The play was able to raise many questions, though it appeared a bit preachy at times as well.

10. Dyal Singh College, Delhi performed Manav Kaul’s ‘Mamtazbhai Patangwaale’.

A scene from the play ‘Mamtazbhai Patangwaale’

Mamtazbhai Patangwaale is Manav Kaul’s most cherished work and is loved by all. The college team did justice to the brilliant script.

11. IIT Delhi performed ‘Picture Perfect’.

The host team presented a decent play in form of ‘Picture Perfect’. The play was marked by good acting of IIT Delhi students.

12. CCET, Chandigarh performed ‘Nitthalle Ki Diary’.

The team from Chandigarh started with a bang. The play which had a flavour of the ‘nautanki’ style did strike the chord with the audience with its comic pieces.

The finalists:

The teams which were selected to perform in the final round on October 20, 2013 were:

Gargi College

Shri Ram College of Commerce

PCTE Ludhiana

Dyal Singh College

CCTE, Chandigarh

IIT Delhi (in a special performance)

Best wishes to all the competing teams!

This article was published in My Theatre Cafe on October 19, 2013
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