Sunday, July 29, 2007

INDIAN SHADOWS OF HARRY POTTER

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone – The Musical, is the latest production of Landing Stage, the youth theatre group of Masquerade. Its been played by a group of kids all in the age group of 13-19, which is quite impressive. Marking the first time it has ever been adapted for theatre, it’s a matter of pride that a Chennai based theatre group has been given the rights to use the trade mark. Scripted by Manasi Subramanian and directed by Aruna Ganesh Ram, the production had immense potential and it would have been a phenomenonal success if not for a few things that were overlooked.

The exploits of Mr Potter are already widely known, and shouldn't need much in the way of explanation, but for those who remain unaware, this story plots the beginning of Harry's life into the world of magic, wizards and witches, from his orphaned childhood at Privet Drive- the house where the words ‘magic' and 'Potter’ are forbidden, to his first journey to Hogwarts, where he finally discovers himself and his place in the incredible world around him. He meets his various teachers, such as his mentor Professor Dumbledore, an adversary in Professor Snape who never misses an opportunity to snap at Harry, and Professor Quirrel, a timid man with a dark secret. With friends like Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, and enemies like Draco Malfoy as well as the the Dark Lord himself, Voldemort, Harry is never short of adventures, which unravel in a series of twists and turns with a few song and dance sequences to adapt the story to a musical.

Firstly, there must be a mention of the impressive sets prepared by Mithran Devanesan, which brought to life all that one imagines when reading the book. The costumes, prepared by Deepthi Karnad were also good. The first few scenes had Dudley and Uncle Vernon who stole the show with their lively performances but the audio quality could have been better. Unfortunately, Harry’s expressions weren’t visible for the most part, as he faced away from the audience with his chin down (although the sorting hat sequence was performed well). There were also a few technical snags with the ‘sea sounds’ doing the disappearing act on Hagrid’s entry onto the island cabin and Hagrid needs to work on his vocation. The background direction of the song and dance sequence at Diagon Alley was well conceptualised but could have been executed better, as the dancers in centre stage obscured the action taking place behind. The performances of Ron and Hermione were quite impressive. Hermione got her indignant act so well that she would have passed off as English. Draco was one actor who not only got into the skin of his character but also got his diction right. However, Dumbledore's feeble voice left a lot to be desired, and the lighting during the forest scenes could have been better manipulated to prevent the shadows that were cast on the actors’ faces.

Some of the musical aspects were inspired as the sorting hat and chess game dance sequences were true classics. The directors voice and music by Ashwath made the song so potent, it had the audience applauding whole heartedly. These were the best instances of Denver Antony's choreography, while the other dances left room for improvement. There was also the occasional trivial scene such as the explanation of Quidditch, which could have been skipped, making the play considerable shorter. However, the graphics used for the Quidditch match were a brilliant piece of innovation. The climactic scenes with Quirrel and Harry were exceptionally directed and well executed, and Quirrel’s split personality was powerful enough to give you goose bumps.
With the release of the last book in the Harry potter series and the fifth movie sequel out in the last two weeks, the Harry Potter fever is running high amongst the general public and the production house have used that platform to promote the play. Although there were areas in which the production fell short, Landing Stage's spirited attempt at a musical has definitely put a new spin on the Harry Potter phenomenon.

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