Chaitanyak Matt Naa: A Review
Kala Academy’s School of Drama brings us another gem from the playwright Pundalik Naik, performed by its students. Chaitanyak Matt Naa , which loosely translated means that one cannot contain consciousness or enthusiasm within an edifice, was written in 1989-90. The Konkani play, much along the lines of Naik’s novel Achhev ( Upheaval ), Chaitanyak Matt Naa serves us with a view of the consequences of our actions, or alternately, our inertia, and the impact of an awakened consciousness. This play was initially performed as an exercise in improvisational class with the first year students, and soon the possibility of performing it for an audience was envisioned. The ensemble play was appreciated for its potential to encompass students from all the three years of the drama school, giving them a chance to bond with each other, particularly the first year students. Padmashree Josalkar, the director of the School of Drama, says, ‘When you see them loading and unloading the sets from the bu