In a New Light

There was a new level of attention the first time we performed. We were overloaded with trying to take in everything thing we could about our new environment, while keeping ourselves in the moments of each scene. Our play seemed almost like it made more sense now. No longer was the audience hung up on what the different family names meant or how this family’s life was interrupted by seemingly unrelated scenes. There was, for some performances, a language barrier. Yet, after talking to some audience members and hearing comments second hand, it seemed that the language barrier may have stripped the play down to its simplicity. The words, of course, were important, but the visuals stepped in to help make sense of the message. The family relationships seemed to resonate with the audience because everyone had some understanding of family. Sure there were certain intricacies and specifications that attempted to give context for this specific family, but if anything these made more sense when finally performing in India. Performing in a different place with a different climate and changing venues helped show us how versatile our show really was. It was at times challenging to adjust to new spaces, unfamiliar climate and, new audiences, but it helped us exercise a muscle that is particularly important in theatre, “Just going with it”. With each performance I understood the play in a new way than I had in Kalamazoo. Sometimes things must be given new context to attract the attention they deserve, and going to India provided the cast of Kahani with this very opportunity.
Sammy Jolly