Today Evening I saw
CinePlay ‘The Job’ at La-Makaan, Hyderabad. As per the advertisement of the organizer,
CinePlay is the novel mode of theatre. The advertisement says, “CinePlay is a
new genre of entertainment. It is a cinematic experience of theatrical
production. The film making process is used to convey meaningful stories, in collaboration
with the theatre director’s vision. A new language of cinema. It’s cinema, it’s
theatre, it’s cineplay”.
What is CinePlay ?
CinePlay is a hybrid
form of theatre and cinema. A play is recorded aesthetically then some film
making elements are used to present video version of play to the audience. It
is neither theatre nor cinema. Theatre has immediacy that immediacy you miss in
CinePlay, as CinePlay is restricted to set design as per the play so it is hard
to get the pleasure of film. CinePlay does not provide big canvass as cinema.
It is devoid of complete pleasure of film & theatre.
Then what is the use of this format?
CinePlay does not provide the all elements of theatre and cinema to the audiences;
it does not mean that it is a useless format. When a group performs a play, it
undergoes a very arduous process from rehearsal to stage performance. Director works on script, actors, set, light,
music, blocking, stylization, costume etc. Actors work on characterization,
speech, gesture, posture, diction, chemistry with co-actors etc. Once the play
is ready, it reaches to audience. Generally,
any medium size good auditorium in any town/ city has two hundred to three
hundred sitting capacity. If a group conducts ten shows, it will have maximum reach
to two thousand to three thousand people. For every performance group will have
to conduct rehearsal, booking of auditorium, coordination with organizer/
producer. Sometimes costs of these
efforts become quite huge than returns. Regular shows of any play needs
dedicated director, disciplined actors, functional group, good public relations
with all stake holders, sufficient resources be it – human or finance. CinePlay
is the shortcut solution to such problem. Do a play, get it recorded, put some
elements of cinema to enhance the quality of the play and conduct the show when
audience is ready. CinePlay does not
require theatre or auditorium, it can be shown anywhere, and it requires a projector
and laptop. Cineplay can have wider reach to audience than the actual play but
it will never be as effective as play. CinePlay can also act as the
documentation of play and it can be shown to audience/ public even after a long
time.
Is cinePlay a new genre of entertainment?
No. CinePlay not a new concept, not a new genre of entertainment. In fact, Doordarshan channels (DD-1, DD-
regional channels, DD-India, DD-Bharti) have been telecasting recorded plays of
good directors from long. Many plays from Patna and Delhi theatre have been
telecasted on national channels. DD
regional channels Bihar and Bhopal (MP) regularly presents recorded plays.
Doordarshan national channels have been telecasting theatre groups’ play and these
plays getting wider audiences. The nomenclature of recorded play ‘CinePlay’ is
new but not the format.
Almost all the world classics are available on you tube. Many theatre group, educational institutions,
Drama Schools have uploaded their video in part/ full on you tube. These
uploads qualify the definition of CinePlay.
Do I enjoy CinePlay?
Frankly speaking – No & Yes. I find it is very cumbersome to see recorded
plays. I enjoy watching play live. That enjoyment CinePlay cannot give at any
cost. However, I confess, the plays that I performed, or the plays I watched
live and like it – I love watching recorded version too. I saw the plays of
famous Surabhi theatre Group (AP) on DD national three years ago. I got
exposure of hundred-year-old theatre group through recorded version. Hope, I
will get the opportunity to see the group’s performance soon.
I have been moderately involved in Hyderabad theatre and feeling a part of
theatre fraternity. Being a part of theatre fraternity, I feel that Hyderabad
theatre has very little exposure to theatre of other places. Patna, Bhopal,
Mumbai & Delhi have done many experiments in theatre and produced a good
number of national and international productions. Hope, Hyderabad theatre will
have good exposure of theatre from different part of our country through
CinePlay. If it happens, Cineplay will do real service in theatre to this city.
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