‘Y’, a devised physical theatre, explores the human experience

What makes the play Y unique is that it does not have a “story”. The narrative is built by a bunch of actors, who devised their own expression, through months of rehearsals. A devised physical theatre work, Y traces the cycle of life through the memories human bodies refuse to let go of. Through raw, provocative movements, the actos approach complex themes that define the human condition. Growth, break down, healing and haunting form part of the play that raises questions about the self.

An open-ended piece

Director of the play, Remith Ramesh says his team of actors explore even abstract emotions with practised ease. “This is not a narrative-driven play. It is an open-ended piece. We are not drawing conclusions here,” Remith says. While touching upon the idea of the self, it also discusses the concept of home — whether it is a sanctuary of peace or a cauldron of suffocation and trauma, Remith adds.

The work for the play started in July this year. Completely devised by the actors themselves, the process of making it was as much fun as it was challenging, says Remith. Y is built from the personal stories of the ensemble. Stories and experiences that are not unique to them — of pain, struggle, inheritance, and resilience. “It is not easy to decribe the process of devised theatre,” says actor Garggi Ananthan, who is part of the cast. “Through several rehearsals, we arrived at a common ground,” she adds.

The five actors, from various parts of India, have contributed equally to the piece. The team developed gibberish as the language of communication. “We didn’t want to limit the audience’s imagination in any way, and language can be limiting, when you think about it,” says Remith.

The title, Y, too is open to interpretation. It could be a forked path suggesting various possibilities in life, a meeting point or a question. A Koodiyattam artiste and a theatre practitioner, Remith incorporates contemporary techniques and pedagogy into his method.

Produced by Aal Space Studio, the music for the play has been composed by Sooraj Santhosh. Apart from Garggi, the cast includes Jijivisha Akshay, Kewal Karthik, Mallika M and Nikita Thube. Sandeep Yadav is the production manager and light designer.

Y was staged at Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi, Thrissur, on December 4.