upattani shares Neil Simon's considerable craftsmanship

aMd comnic ability, but there is much more going on

in his
nlays than the Wise-cracking, very human comedy of
character and situation. Dattani's are very much plays of
ideas with action, constantly in movement and constantly
throwing up unexpected shifts of perception, changes of
tone, and new insights into character."
- John McRae
Mahesh Dattani takes up themes which, perhaps, in poetry
or fiction would be easy to handle, but on stage with an
unknown audience sitting in front, are seen to pose challenges
of effective presentation. He experiments with different kinds
of subject-matter for which demands of the stage also vary a.id
we see him ever experimenting with technical paraphernalia
rather
and narrative modes. He was himself aware of this
formidable requirement, as he observes in an interview with
S. Mohanty, "Ive used time and space in different ways in my
think all the tools of theatre are available to a
plays. I
way your sensibility
playwright and you just use them the2013). In his technigue
allows you to use them." (qt. in Harit: western theatre. Arthur
it is easy to trace intluences
of modern
Anton Chekhov, Tennessee Williams,: besides thea
Miller, Anton
elements shape his dramatic repertoire in Such
classical Greek far fromn giving the impression of an enthusiastic
way that they
pursuit of fashionable modernistic trends, appear to
Indian'snaturally the
merge the central concern with thematic delineation.
is awware that itit is of pivotal significance that the
dramatist
Dattani maintain Concentrated focus on the
into diffusion or
subject-matte
and avoid slipping dispersion of superfluities.
One is struck
Brevity by Dattani's disposition to be succinct both in
his stage direct and dialogues. This offers
101
illustrative
102 Oscar Wilde and Cen
playwrights of yore like
with and audiences with the
contrast who regaled readers
Bernard Shaw elaborate presentation. Dattani's Tara is divided
exquisite art ofwhich mark two distinct phases in the lives of the
into two Acts consists of the narrative that introduces us
protagonists. Act I
and their problems. Though another
to the characters not be out of tune, the dramatist limits
additional act would
clear idea of what he
himself to two. This shows that he has a
wants to present two neatly separated phases in the
become
narrative has an effect which would perhaps have
diluted if the structure Was more capacious and
accommodative. His dialogues are not long winding though
they express the complex emotional dilemmas. If we compare
him with some of the classical playwrights like Henrik Ibsen
and Anton Chekhov, or even among modern dramatists Arthur
Miller, Dattani's dialogues avoid lengthy format and maintain
crisp pace of clipped, racy exchanges. Whether it is quarrel
between Patel and his wife or Roopa and children or Patel and
Tara, or a relaxed leisurely scene of serene discussion, the
words gather together in short string, providing pointed sense,
and help the participants weave an exquisite fabric of emotional
cohesiveness in which one idea, reaching out to another, creates
abridgeway and thus becomes part of the whole emotional
unity. Short sentences no longer remain isolated expressions but
function as components
components ofof aa unitary whole. The following
example will illustrate the point.
Tara You might get an infection. Wear a muffler. [He
leads her down the street]. At least take your
bronchodilator.
Chandan If I need it, you can run and get it for me.
Tara Very funny.
They stop, facing the audience. Spot on them.
Chandan The oglers are all asleep. Nalini, Roopa, Prema.
Tara Oh, quite a clear sky. No moon, no
Chandan No shooting stars, to make wishes on!
one!
Tara How true. Oh, I wish there was
Chandan Make your wish anyWay.
Tara What would you wish for?
DRAMATIC
103
Chandan Oh, Iwould wish for the stars! And you?
Music: Chopin's Prelude No. 2 in A minor
Me?
Tara
Chandan Yes
One is reminded of a scene betvween Mrs. Wingfield and her
Son Tom in The Glass Menagerie of Tennessee Williams who, in
a moment of clcse emnotional yearning, stand leaning against the
railing looking at the moon together. The mother believes that
if one honestly whispers a wish to the moon, it comes true.

Music
Mahesh Dattani's use of music is somewhat different from
that of Tennessee Williams' use of it. In The Glass Menagerie
music becomes part of the stage apparatus adding to a semantic
dimension which marks the emotional crisis, whereas in Tara
western
Music does not have such a role. Chandan is fond of
en listening to Chopin, Brahms
classical music and is often seen
beginning it is clear that
and Beethoven compositions. From the intelligence, sensitivity
the Patel children show extraordinary anything as low as the
scorn
and higher cultural level. They they ridicule openly for her
gossiping habits of Roopa whomintriguing ways. Roopa is fond of
intelligence and
mediocre
again contrasts with the sophisticated taste
English films which music comes as a haven
for
Chandan. For them
of Tara and
to fillthe air. Tara and Chandan are
shown very
peace whenever it isduring the music-filled hours. It is a
most at their ease symbolize a transcendental
Chandan and spirits. The celestial notes
private thing for
between their of
SOurce of ethereal link
above the sullen transactions
appear to lift them baffles the children.
Of music anxiety-ridden life, which often
notes, which. wears away
day-to-day fantasy of abstract
themn conscious of
It is an escape into and, makes The
mental/physical worries higher forms of fulfilment.their
all their need for sounds of
their soul's power and
against the grating of its
easily jar significance
the
notes of music quarrels, underscoring
Parent's routine children.
existence for the limited
in a
been made
Lighting on the stage has
symbolism in the interplay
lights complex
Ihe use of find
manner. One does not
playwrights. In Tara Dattani's directions suggest that 'spot of
light singles out a certain area or person isolating him/her from
the rest of the scene. This in visual terms makes it easy for him
to emphasize a feature and make it more articulate. In the
opening it is written, "The play starts without any music. A
spot picks up Dan at his writing table". A little later "A spot on
the stage level. Chandan and Tara walk into it." Then, "The
lights cross-face to Patel's living room." Generally, shift of
scenes is indicated through cross fading of the light, as when ata

Roopa is picked up calling towards the house, and then the

scene changing to the living room. Fading of the lights suggests akk

the dark anticipations sometimes, as when Tara says, "I am

strong. My mother made me strong." Spot on the three fades out, the
and Patel utters, "Im expecting the worst." For these two
In
reasons controlled use of lights and focused spot perform
functiornal role on the stage of highlighting a specific area or
person, and scene shifting. In different plays Dattani
different stage arrangements. In Thirty Days in September, for antitl
instance, we see four-part division of the stage for scenes and
setting. These divisions are seen to correspond changes in the ort
Tara, on the
inner moods and situations of the characters. In thara
arrangement is evident despite
other hand, simplicity of stage locations, Bombay and London.
the action taking place in two Ow
In Tara Dattani does not use many
props; even the bov
modes, so popular with some recent dramatists, tonr
expressionistic Solutions features like
avoided. While in The Final
have been classical Greek stage;
prominent role in the stage of
chorus have into Dan and Chandan as
play Chandan is split
in the present acted out his drama-life,Dan is outside
two personae. Having necessary feedbacks and
general
the play offering the
Thakkar also makes. his brief appearances in
observations. Dr. and
explanation of the complex surgical process
order to offer operation. Bharati's father is
of, this major he is not
the consequence influential figure in this play. Thoughreferences
mentioned as an come to know him
through
we
shown on the stage Bharati influential politician and an
as an decisions
made by Patel and huge property and interferes in that it is
M.L.A. who possesses Tara's operation. We also know
Thakkar of getting
regarding Dr.
to be taken throws an attractive bait to
because he
DRAMATICTECHNIQUE 105

a piece of land for his projected hospital that the doctor

hím
hi
agrees to give Tara's leg to Chandan though he is fully aware
his might
a8 this
that prove fatal to Tara. Patel is unhappy about the
man's
unwarranted interventions which turn out to be one
source of continual rancorous exchange between him and
major
wife. Dattani artfully keeps these characters in the
background, providing to the play a neatly chiseled edge.
characters. In
Dattari avoids filling his plays with too many
accordance with the practice of modern playwrights who
upon minimalist technique of presentation, only the
depend
centrally important characters are shown on the stage. Amongst
Dr.
those who are hinted at but do not actually appear areThey
father.
Thakkar, Dr. Kapoor, Prema, Nalini and Bharati's
in their marginal roles
are important to the story yet are kept
the central storyline.
in the interest of maintaining focus on
Tara stands at the centre since it is about her,
In this play reference to her. Dan in the
characters develop with
and other intends to write a drama
play mentions that he
beginning of the to turn my anguish
Tara "wondering how best
entitled Twinkle her joys and sorrows that are
is Tara's story,
into drama." It some extent explains her
play. The title to
Portrayed in this There is a peculiar other-worldly
character and essential being. physical handicap she has the
her. Despite her
ight abouttranscend limitations to radiate her brilliance
her
POwer to
like a star and suddenly disappears
above al. She twinklesnever seen nor heard thereafter. As a star
rom the play. She is distance away, a thing which gets
hangs in the sky a long far away beyond
Tara moves someone whom he wanted
everybody's
lodged in the mind,
remembers her as
each. Chandan,
to forget, but never could.