Ghashiram Kotwal - The New Age Epic
Photo Courtesy: www.gallerie.net
Ghashiram Kotwal
Performance Analysis with
Brecht’s Epic Theater
- Aishwarya Walvekar
Abstract
“The stage is a magic circle where only the
most real things happen, a neutral territory outside the jurisdiction of Fate
where stars may be crossed with impunity. A truer and more real place does not
exist in all the universe.” – P. S.
Baber, Cassie Draws the Universe
Theater is a medium which
is diverse. It can entertain, educate and spread awareness. This paper analyzes
the play Ghashiram Kotwal, written by
Vijay Tendulkar with Brecht’s Epic Theater dramatic techniques.
Introduction
Ghashiram Kotwal is originally a Marathi musical play,
written by Vijay Tendulkar in the year 1972. Since its conception, it has been
translated into various languages and staged worldwide. Vijay Tendulkar, a
Padma Bhushan awardee (1984) was a political journalist and a playwright. He
also wrote for television and cinema. Ghashiram
Kotwal was his response to the political scenario at that time. Local
political party had arisen in Bombay. Though it did not directly comment on the
politics, he was more interested in depicting the ‘human tendencies and
frailties’. The play sheds light on various discourses – class, caste, gender,
sexuality and human tendencies. The first performance was directed by Jabbar
Patel and the character of Nana Phadnavis was played by Mohan Agashe. After a
few performances of the play by the Progressive Drama Association in Pune in
December 1972, it was banned due to ‘political pressure’. The depiction of the
Brahmins and Nana Phadnavis hurt the sentiments of the Brahmins in Pune.
In an interview to the Frontline, The Hindu, Vijay Tendulkar
said:
“All I can say is that I wish I had been given a chance to
explain my stand. Instead, they just opened a front against me. My writing has
always been honest. I've never tackled something I didn't understand. Politics
had nothing to do with it. True, Ghashiram was inspired by the rise of the Shiv
Sena in Maharashtra and the transformation of an artist like Bal Thackeray into
a mass leader. But the focus of my exploration there, as in most of my other
plays, was on human tendencies, human frailties that change people almost
overnight. You know, I've written over 30 plays on various themes. There are a plethora
of characters. But people still tend to point to those that generated these
unnecessary controversies.”
Though, Ghashiram Kotwal faced criticism and
controversy initially, it was a huge success in the later years. The play was
staged in Europe, Canada, United States, Russia, Hungary and Germany. Nonetheless,
for Tendulkar, the success of the play lay in the criticism it had received. Vijay
Tendulkar is regarded as the pioneer of experimental theater in Marathi
Theater. He not only initiated experimental theater, but also guided it. He brought
modernism to Marathi stage.
In his book Natak Ani Mee, Tendulkar stated his
motivation to write plays, “As a child I grew up watching some wonderful
western plays. It instilled in me a passion to create such plays. I like to
watch and learn from people who have excelled in their field.”
Ghashiram Kotwal is a political satire and it forces the audience to think
and critique. Such an impact of the play drives my attention to Bertolt
Brecht’s Epic Theater. Eugen
Bertolt Friedrich Brecht, was a German poet, playwright and theater director of
the 20th century. By 1930s, a contemporary theater was established,
due to experimentation and innovation in theater in the early 20th
century. Stanislavsky, Meyerhold, Reinhardt, etc. were synonymous to this newly
formed theater. Their focus was on realism and naturalism in theater. Brecht
believed that the modern theater had influences of naturalism and
expressionism. However, according to him, this theater was merely entertainment
and was not able to shed light on the ‘world as an object of human activity’.
Theater as a public platform, ceased to educate its audience or spread
awareness.
Influenced by the Marxist ideology, he went on to
develop an alternative theater which would blend together both entertainment
and education. Brecht argued that by adopting such a theater, the audience will
be able to think rationally. He wanted the theater to comment on social,
political and economic issues and the spectators should be able to rationally
think about these issues. To achieve this Brecht introduced ‘Epic Theater’,
which he later developed as ‘Dialectical Theater’ or ‘Philosophical Folk
Theater’ which is explained in The Short
Organum for the Theater. He employed dramatic techniques like the
Estrangement Effect, Gestus, etc. which broke the conventions of the mainstream
theater of that time and which helped the audience to be detached from the play
emotionally, but think about it rationally.
In The Epic Theatre and its Difficulties essay in Brecht on Theater, John
Willet quotes, “The essential point of the epic theatre is perhaps that
it appeals less to the feelings than to the spectator's reason. Instead of
sharing an experience the spectator must come to grips with things.”
To analyze Ghashiram Kotwal with Brecht’s Epic
Theater, we need to understand the dramatic techniques employed in the
production of the play.
Ghashiram Kotwal
The Performance
The performance taken for
analysis was produced by Puppets, Pune (Madhav Abhyankar) and is a recorded
performance by Alurkar Music House, Pune. It was directed in association with
Vijay Kulkarni and music was given by Pt. Bhaskar Chandavarkar. The play faced
criticism as the characters and storyline adopted by Tendulkar is from history.
The character of Nana Phadnavis, chief secretary of the Peshwa in the Maratha
Empire, and Ghashiram Sawaldas are actual personalities in the history. The
play projects a different angle to the story of the two and kind of distorts
history, which hurts the sentiments of the Chitpavan Brahmans for whom Nana
Phadnavis is prestigious.
However, Tendulkar argues
that the events in the play are ahistorical. In the beginning of the video of
this performance, a disclaimer is put:
“This is not a historical
play. This is a non-historical myth presented with dance and music. Ghashirams
are the creations of certain social circumstances and the Ghashirams go beyond
time and space. Though the playwright accepts some support from history, he
does not intend to express any views on existence of Peshwai (the rule of
Peshwas), Nana Phadnavis and Ghashiram Kotwal, as historical personages. If at
all this fable conveys any message, it’s completely different.” – Vijay
Tendulkar
The stage instructions in the script itself are so
clear that no much work is needed by the director in blocking the movements of
the actors. Following is an example from the script translated from Marathi to
English by Jayant Karve and Eleanor Zelliot:
ACT ONE
Twelve men
standing in a line, sing. Ganpati comes in.
ALL (Swaying to and fro)
Ganpati dances the Ganpati dance
Brahmans of Poona bow and prance (Repeat)
The performance begins with a naandi which is like a prologue. Before the prologue a performer
stands on the level placed on stage, dressed in dhotar (a garment worn by male Hindus) holding a lamp with camphor
lit in it. With ghungroo (metallic bells)
tied in his ankle, he dances on
the stage with the lamp. Usually, this is done to get blessings from the stage
for a successful performance.
In the prologue, the twelve Brahmins enter the stage
singing ‘Shree Ganaraya’ with their pagdi
(head gear) in their hand. The tones in their singing change and after
standing in a straight line they wear their head gear. This is followed by the
Ganpati coming on stage and dancing with the Brahmins. As the naandi proceeds, Saraswati and Laxmi,
two of the Indian Goddesses of education and wealth also join the dance and the
lyrics suggest that both Laxmi and Sharada (Saraswati) are wives of Ganpati and
both offer him love equally. The lyrics also stop abruptly in between and the
actors too pause and freeze, and as a spectator we are just compelled to watch
and consume what the stage is offering with just the music playing in the
background. At the end, the Brahmins ask for blessings for the play from
Ganpati in the same song.
The main characters in the play are Ghashiram
Kotwal, Nana Phadnavis, Lalita Gauri, Sutradhar
(narrator of the play), Gulabi, and the Englishman. The chorus formed by
the twelve men is the backbone of this play. It functions as a chorus, at times
as a set and props (wall, curtain, trees, etc.) and as individual characters.
After the prologue, the sutradhar introduces the characters’ from the chorus by their
professions (astrology, Vedic, economy, etc.) and through their encounter with
the sutradhar, we see how the
Brahmans are blind with their caste pride and their corrupt activities which
has led to the decadence of the society. They visit Gulabi (the lavani dancer) and lie to the Sutradhar that they are going to the
temple for chanting prayers. Nana Phadnavis, the chief secretary of the Peshwa,
who is also corrupt and extremely lusty goes to the dancer and dances with her.
Ghashiram, a Brahmin from Kannauj (north India) is an immigrant to Pune in
search of work, and works with Gulabi as an accompanist.Nana twists his ankle
and freezes his action with one leg in the air, while the sutradhar tries explaining
the situation to the audience.
Ghashiram is awarded with a pearl necklace by Nana
for helping him with his twisted ankle, and Gulabi is jealous and asks
Ghashiram to give her the necklace, to which he refuses. The next day, he is
also insulted by the Brahmins when he goes to collect alms as all Brahmins from
Pune do. He is wrongly accused of pick-pocketing and is put behind bars and
thrashed. This evokes anger in him and he plans to avenge the Brahmins for his
insult.
For his vengeance, he lures Nana by using his
daughter Lalita Gauri as a bait. Gauri is a frail, young and beautiful character
and Nana is trapped in his own lust and would give anything to be with her.
Ghashiram realizes that his plan is successful and asks Nana to make him the Kotwal (police chief) of Pune. Nana
instantly agrees, but as he exits the stage he gives a hint that he will use
Ghashiram for his benefits. Ghashiram as a Kotwal
brings strict rules in Pune and enforces permits for every small thing. He
makes the living of the Brahmins miserable. He puts them behind bars and kills
almost twenty Brahmins. This arouses anger in the Brahmins of Pune and they
appeal to Nana to punish Ghashiram by death. Meanwhile, Ghashiram finds out
that his daughter has died during pregnancy. Nana realizes that Ghashiram is of
no use now and hence, allows the crowd of Brahmins to stone him to death. After
his death, Nana even announces a three day celebration. At the end, Nana joins
the wall of the Brahmins and dances with them to ‘shree ganaraya nartan kari, amhi punyache Brahman hari’ while
Ghashiram’s body lays on the stage in the background.
Folk Art
Forms:
The story is simple and one would question what the
social or political message from this is? However, the comment of the play lies
not only in its mere storyline but the way it is structured and staged.
Tendulkar has used various folk art forms and trussed the play together in a
perfect blend. These folk art forms include lavani,
tamasha, abhanga, dasha-avatar khel, yakshagana, waghya-murali and kirtan. He has used and juxtaposed
these forms with peculiar scenes of the play which bring out the contradictions
and sarcasm. For example, when Nana Phadnavis enters the dancer’s place in Bavannakhani, he is walking lustfully
though exaggerated steps towards Gulabi and the singers chant a mantra - ‘Radhe
Krishna Hari, Mukund Murari’ from kirtan.
It indicates that his corrupt, lustful act is somewhat overlooked and is
purified by the mantra.
The play is structured using the conventions of dasha-avatar khel, powada and, tamasha. These folk forms are used for storytelling
purposes, usually religious, historical or satirical messages, with a mix of
music and dance. The music and melodies are used from abhanga and kirtan. Abhanga and
kirtana are basically devotional
forms. Abhanga are devotional songs
and kirtan is a kind of lecture by
the priest where the devotees sing abhangas
and the priest recites the shlokas
and explain them in simple language to the devotees. Dance steps are inspired
from lavani, waghya-murali and khela.
When Tendulkar was
asked why did he choose the form of the musical for a play with such a serious
content? Tendulkar answered:
“…not that I was
not interested in a musical but I cannot think of a form first and then look
for a subject that will suit the form. I had a couple of folk forms (not the
popular ones) in my mind for the last few years and yet have not been able to
do anything with them. Ghashiram started with a theme, then came the
specific ‘story’ or incident which was historical and then the search for the
form began. I knew that the usual naturalistic treatment was out of the
question. By a series of accidents I discovered the present form which is a
combination of a variety of ingredients from different folk forms of Maharashtra.”
(Introduction to Ghashiram Kotwal)
Musical
approach:
Most of the play
is narrated through a musical and rhythmic format used in tamasha and powada. It is musical and also employs dance. The
signature line in the play is ‘Shree
Ganaraya Nartan Kari, Amhi Punyache Baman Hari’ meaning ‘Ganpati dances the
Ganpati Dance, and we are Brahmins of Pune’. This line is retained throughout
the play and its tempo, bhava (emotion
or mood) and rasa (essence of the mental state, dominant emotional theme) and
even raga (musical themes made by the
combination of different notes) are changed as the play progresses. For
example, during the prologue the tempo and mood of the line is moderate and has
a calm and happy mood. However, when Ghashiram is stoned to death, the Brahmins
again start singing the line and this time the tempo is fast and full of angry
mood. Or when the Brahmins are dancing with the dancer who is angry because she
didn’t get any appreciation from Nana, the singers sing Radhe Krishna Hari, Mukund Murari, in sad rasa and a fast tempo.
And she dances the lavani (supposed
to be romantic and lustful) in rage, with her hand gestures jerky and forceful.
Also, various aaroha and avroha with aakar in
different ragas are used as
transition from one scene to another. For example, the song jagi saari ratiya is sung when the
Brahmans are busy in Bavannakhani with the dancer and their wives are alone at
home waiting for their husbands. The song is in Raga Bhairavi, which is sung at dawn, but many times it is sung at
the end of an evening. The raga has a
soothing and uplifting mood, but it also can be sad. The song is sung with the
Brahmin wife doing her morning chores and on the other side, Gulabi is removing
her jewelry and getting ready to sleep at the dawn after her dance. It brings
out the contrast between two kinds of woman. The lyrics too, bring out the
disparity. Also, the instruments used
matters in conveying the mood and emotion. For example, in the first half of the
play where the graph of the play is building up, the instruments used to
accompany are mridangam and tabla, which give a light mood. However,
in the second half, when the play starts getting aggressive harsh instruments
like tasha, chandda, dholki and cymbals.
Brecht’s Epic/ Dialectical Theater:
The Epic Theater
was an alternative theater which established itself in Europe in the mid-20th
century. Precursors to this theater were Erwin Piscator, Vladimir
Mayakovsky and Vsevolod
Meyerhold. It was
only Bertolt Brecht who clasped together the ideas which already existed in raw
and gave birth to the Epic Theater.
Epic/
Dalectical Theater:
‘By epic, Brecht
is broadening a definition which transcends the traditional concept of the
genre. The epic (das Epische) is not
only not tied to a particular genre, but it can also be found in other genres,
taking with it its connotations of narrative distance. The drama thereby
surrenders the old characteristic quality of suspense, together with its
concomitant effect of luring the audience into purely subjective
identifications and the final granting of emotional release. Instead the stage
begins not only to narrate but also to criticize from a viewpoint not
necessarily tied to the immediate action.’ – Elizabeth Wright in Postmodern Brecht: A Re-Presentation.
The Epic Theater
involves calm and disconnected contemplation and judgment by the audience. It
is different from the dramatic theater which involves overwhelming passion and
emotion and the audience shares the experience of the actor; experiences all
the emotion the actor goes through. Brecht’s formed the Epic Theater by the
influences of Goethe and Schiller’s ideals about the mood and character of epic
poetry.
Brecht mauls that
the dramatic theater is merely a ‘Culinary Theater’ which offers audience with
and experience and mental refreshment, as a meal does to a body. He argues that
such a theater does not educate the audience, does not make the audience aware.
Through his Epic Theater, which he later developed as ‘Dialectical Theater’,
aims at making the audience ‘think’ rather than ‘feel’. He redeveloped the
concept of Epic Theater as Dialectical Theater, as epic was not providing the
exact meaning of the kind of theater he wanted to establish. Dialectical,
literally meaning – any formal system of reasoning that arrives at the truth by
the exchange of logical arguments, was much suited for the theater he had
instituted.
The Epic Theater
uses certain dramatic techniques, both in the text written by the playwright
and in the performance of the actor. The emphasis of the Epic Theater is to
create a narrative distance by the use of writing, acting, staging and
directing. Brecht wrote The Street Scene
: A Basic Model for a Scene of Epic
Theater, which gives an example of a scene which can take place at any
street corner. For example, an accident, where various witnesses, victims and
bystanders try and reconstruct what happened to find out who was at fault.
Actor
in the Epic Theater:
The actor is a
‘demonstrator. He/she explains ‘what happened’ by giving a clear description
through the narrative and actions. Brecht states that the actor must ‘Detach
himself from the character’, unlike Stanislavsky’s method acting where the
actor transforms into the character.
The actor/
demonstrator should not be biased towards any character and should not suggest
a conclusion. He/she should not be too perfect in the art of imitation. He/ she
should make sure that they do not lure the audience into the illusion of an
unrealistic real world.
In epic theatre, the
actor may not learn or rehearse a text. This is because, the actor frankly
demonstrates what has happened. He/ she
may recreate the incident by partially enacting the characters. They should not
create an enjoyable ‘experience’ for the audience or spectator. Unlike ordinary
theatre, epic theatre should not evoke pure emotions in the spectators. The
actor intervenes only as and with a social element.
The actor of the epic
theatre should adopt a natural attitude in both roles i.e. they should behave
naturally as a demonstrator and also let the subject/character behave
naturally. The actor can perform his actions with minute detailing or even in
slow motion, to emphasize its crucial importance to the scene and isolate the
audience, by creating a V- effect.
Spectator
in epic theatre:
The epic theatre
compels the audience to criticize the subject matter of the incident. The
spectator may or may not agree with the actor or demonstrator. The emotions
presented to the audience by the demonstrator should be criticized by them.
The audience should
feel alienated during the demonstration or performance so that they can
critique the demonstration. The epic theatre should make it easier for the
audience to form an opinion.
Verfemdungseffekt
(Estrangement effect/ V-effect):
As Brecht was
influenced by Marxism, he employed the ‘means of production’ in his epic
theater. He opposed the idea of disguising the apparatus of theater and showed
it to the audience on stage. Estrangement effect means making a strange effect,
to make ‘familiar unfamiliar and unfamiliar familiar’. This effect works on the
principle of interruption. He deliberately showed the theatrical artificiality
by the use of placards, masks, etc.
The alienation effect
uses a technique which targets some human social incidents that are not normal
and calls for criticism by the spectator. This effect is created by interrupting
the flow of the play with a Gestus (physical or musical) or change of the role
from demonstrator to character or vice versa. This effect is created so that
the audience can criticize from a social perspective and do not get emotionally
involved in the demonstration. This is achieved either by gestures or change of
role from demonstrator to actor or vice versa.
Gestus:
Brecht argued that the
traditional theater focused on facial expressions and did not give much
importance to the gestures. He urged his actors to examine their bodies and
body language as the body language of a social class, its mannerisms and
customs.
He implemented the
concept of Gestus, which was used previously by Lessing in 1767 and by Kurt
Weill on gestic character of music in 1929, to highlight the social meaning.
John Willett, a British translator and scholar who translated Brecht’s works
into English, defines Gestus as carrying the ‘combined sense of gist and
gesture, an attitude or a single aspect of an attitude, expressible in words
and actions.’
As Brecht was against
the traditional (psychological) drama which offers mental attitudes, with Gestus,
he wanted to use the actor’s actions as choices he/ she makes due to the social
factors that affect him. The most common example given for Gestus is a peasant
licking his plate of food, not because he is a peasant, but because that is how
he has been brought up in a less wealthy culture, who know how much hard work
it takes to earn that food.
Kurt Weill, a German
music composer collaborated with Brecht for various productions. His most
famous work is The
Three Penny Opera, which included the ballad ‘Mack the Knife’
composed Weill. Both Brecht and Weill believed that the music in a play should
work to highlight the social discourse and create an estrangement effect. It
should not heighten emotions in spectators, but rather allow them to think
rationally.
John Williamson’s book
Words and Music explains:
“Neither Weill nor
Brecht ever gave a systematic definition of gestische
Musik (in his plays, Gestus meant for Brecht a stylized presentation of
social behavior). In general terms, both were agreed that, as in the last
musical example, the music should function as a medium for communication the
text without trying to add psychological insight into the character singing the
song or attempting the musical representation of emotions and deeds within the
song. Weill’s task is to achieve a musical Verfemdungseffekt
(a ‘making strange’or distancing effect) equal to those used by Brecht, such
as masks, explanatory posters, or deliberate highlighting of theatrical
artificiality by use of an on-stage narrator. An alienating effect can be
achieved musically, for example, by accompanying harsh words with a sentimental
tune. Instead of the song becoming a catalyst for melancholy self-indulgence,
the jarring that results keeps the listener alert”.
Conclusion:
So far, I discussed
the performance of the play Ghashiram
Kotwal and then discussed what is Epic/ Dialectical Theater and its
dramatic techniques. It is quite clear that Ghashiram
Kotwal uses certain techniques of Brecht’s Epic/ Dialectical Theater and to
a wide extent gestic music is utilized.
Certain characters in
the play like Nana, Ghashiram, Gulabi, Brahman wife, Lalita Gauri, and a few
mob characters deploy Stanislavskian acting techniques and are leaned more
towards realism and expressionism. They hardly exit their character role and
give their opinions about the actions. Whereas, the sutradhar and the chorus of twelve Brahmins change characters,
mime, and sing. The sutradhar too,
adapts various characters and also narrates to the audience.
Interruptions like
masks, placards, etc. are not used vividly; however, in the prologue Ganpati
dances with a mask and Laxmi and Saraswati wear headgears. Also, the theatrical
artificiality is displayed on the stage, for example, during a scene of Ganeshostav, when the Ganpati comes
dancing with a mask on his face and others bring the decorations to be put
around him. Also there are no blackouts in the performance to hide or change
any kind of set. The key interruptions employed in the play are with the use of
music and the text itself. Certain Gestus are also used. For example, Nana
smelling the flower garland in his hands shows he comes from a wealthy family
is lustful. Another example is discussed in the performance description of
twisting his ankle. The freezing of body like a statue, with the explanation
from the sutradhar, and then again
over exaggerating the twisting of ankle with one leg up in mid-air and dancing,
gives out the social message i.e. ‘paay
wakude padle’ meaning a wrong step is taken which does not suit nobility.
The music as explained
in the description of the performance and by John Weill is used to create a
distancing effect, but not always. In some scenes of the play (quawalli used when Ghashiram is thrown
in jail to express his emotions) the music is employed to heighten the emotion
of the audience, however in many of the scenes the music is used to bring of
the gist of situation. Two different emotions/ moods are contrasted by the use
of music and the text. For example, during Ganeshostav
scene, the sutradhar is singing abhangas
and everybody, Brahmin and their wives and Lalita Gauri, are listening to
the kirtan. However, as Nana sees
Lalita Gauri his lust overpowers him and he keeps on staring at her regardless
of what ambience he is in. The sutradhar then starts singing a tamasha genre song – ranga
mahali shej sukli, which comments on the situation satirically.
Not only music, but
certain sounds like that of laughing and exaggerated body movements, are used
by the chorus as Gestus. For example, the scene with the Englishman and the
Brahmins. The Brahmins are greedy for money from the Englishman. Even when he
explains that Ghashiram did not steal, the Brahmins just mock a laughter. The
exaggerated actions are used by each and every one of the Brahmin when they are
standing in a group. This helps in making the expression more aggressive with
the aid of the words.
To sum it up, Ghashiram Kotwal employs Brechtian dramatic techniques of
masks, visible stage machinery, use of music to interrupt and comment on the
action, acting in third person (only by sutradhar),
alienation effect, gestus, focus on social classes, montages, and ensemble
(actors on stage at all times). To conclude, one cannot say that the whole
performance is exactly Brechtian and according to his model of Dialectical
theater. The play Ghashiram Kotwal, is
somewhat neo-Brechtian as it fuses the realistic theater with Brechtian. Such a
play, allows the spectator to get involved emotionally, but also criticize
rationally. Vijay Tendulkar’s emphasis was on highlighting the human tendencies
and frailties, through this play, essentially requires the audience to
experience or ‘feel’ the emotion and then ‘think’ or criticize the situation
depicted.
References:
1. Nataj Ani Mee – Vijay Tendulkar
2. Brecht On Theater
– John Willett
3. Words and Music –
John Williamson
4.
The Cambridge Companion to Brecht - edited by Peter Thomson,
Glendyr Sacks
5.
Postmodern Brecht: A Re-Presentation - Elizabeth Wright
6.
Ghashiram Kotwal –
Vijay
Tendulkar
7.
The Street Scene: A Basic Model for an Epic Theatre - Bertolt
Brecht
8.
Political Theater In India : With special reference to
Marathi Theater and Brechtian Influence – Dr. Hemangi Bhagwat
9.
THEATRES IN INDIA: AN OVERVIEW - Ms. Rachana, published by
Indian Scholar
Links:
I thank Prof. Rustom Bharucha for
guiding me to write this paper. I also thank the School Of Arts And Aesthetics,
JNU, for providing a useful library and infrastructure facilities. I would also
like to extend my thankfulness to Mr. Shivraj Walvekar (actor in the
performance analyzed) and Mr. Rahul Joshi (sutradhar-actor-singer in the
performance) for giving me valuable insights.
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