Due to logistical issues and problems with Police Permission, the New Year special show, ’31st by evam’ has been cancelled.
But you can catch us at the Chennai premier of Oscar Wilde’s ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’. Come join the ‘wilde’rness on the 16th and 17th of January at Chinmaya Heritage Center. More at www.evam.in
For any clarifications, reach us at 99404 38669/98402 22363
Cheers,
Team Evam
Acting and writing poetry are two key interests for evam’s favourite actor, Karthik Srinivasan (TMK, ‘Hamlet: The Original Spoof’, ‘Odd couple’, DT and Q’… and most of evam’s other productions actually)
He decided to combine both passions of his- and voila!A poem about a role he’s currently doing now- Jack Worthing.
TMK says this kind of extra effort can make actors really understand their characters. And here’s the dedication–
“This piece is mainly dedicated to the sweetest director ive ever worked with, and the cast and crew of IOBE”.. 
For better or for verse- a “Wilde’ly earnest attempt
In a decrepit old bag ,cast away was I
a railroad for company, a son to none
a charitable gent with a kindly eye
made me his own, and so my story had begun
when I was eleven, a baby girl was born
alas, like mine , her parents were gone
Cecily, sweet child, my first reason to smile
My ward she will be, for now , for a while
A wealthy childhood, a country house ,a manor
And yet a small sadness, a longing for a kin
For a playmate, a friend, a yearning for a brother
A profligate young man changed the state I was in
A prim and proper young man was John
A guardian, a gentleman, in the city and town
And add to this woe, a justice of peace
Left me with nothing but a youthful unease
To escape my fate , came my brother Ernest
For jack could only ever be earnest
Pray , tell me how ever can I live my age
As my legacy left me a veritable sage
In the country I was Jack, in the town, Ernest
It was to my liking that my brother was a pest
And thus started my dual charade
Good guy, bad guy, a moral façade
Oh I must tell you about my dear friend Algy
A witty young rascal, a scallywag ,a flirt
But something endearing , warm and feisty
Lives for his food, yet loves from him heart
And what of his pretty and charming cousin
An angel who answers to the name Gwendolen
She falls for Ernest, though jack loves her in earnest
Someday she’ll know ,and I hope for the best
A monster for a mother ,Lady Bracknell
For many a faint heart, she warrants their death knell
Algy’s aunt and Gwendolen’s mother
Never has blood been related farther
And then there is Prism, my little ward’s tutor
A bonding she felt, as a child to a mother
And never did dither, her batty old ways ,
Though the Canon left her in a perpetual daze
That rogue Algy,had me surprised
When he came one day, in my brother’s guise
And as was his wont, charmed my ward Cecily
Much to my dismay, a despicable tragedy
So there we were two,Ernests in tow
Engaged as one ,time for them to know
The moment of truth, and sorry for the fuss
There is no Ernest, but we love you as us
And in walks the gorgon, how dare you ask
For to win my girl’s hand is no easy a task
For my nephew’s alliance, I have no qualms
For she matches the gist of my societal norms
Ah here is my chance ,and everything to gain
I’m the jack of all trades and earnest in one
Cecily for Gwendolen, is my bargain
My trump card I’ve dealt, hope the deal is done
All seemed lost, and Ms Prism appears
She tells us her tale, and I’m in tears
Algy’s is my brother and I’m indeed Ernest
I’ll never forget the importance of being earnest
The weight of evam’s biggest production to-date falls feather-light on evam’s youngest director, Manasi Subramaniyam.
Manasi is the co-founder and partner at Landing Stage Youth Theatre Group, an independent, amateur youth theatre group. They work with theatre aspirants of the age group 13 to 19, train them (with the assistance of theatre artistes in Chennai) and produce two plays a year for kids.
She’s currently busy directing evam’s latest offering, Oscar Wilde’s The Importance Of Being Earnest.
Tell us a little about yourself.
I attended my first theatre workshop in 2002 and have been involved with various productions since then. As a theatre artiste, I have gone from being an actor to a lighting designer to a stage manager to a playwright to a producer to a director. I think I’ve even done costumes and makeup at one point! My learning curve has been both steep and fun. I’ve certainly gained a lot from these experiences and now I can handle various positions in a theatrical production with ease.
Relationship with Evam in the past:
I’ve attended almost all their plays – in fact, I’ve attended the very first Chennai show of most of their plays and I have always thought that what they do is pretty fantastic.
Why did you choose The Importance of Being Earnest?
I’ve been wanting to do The Importance of Being Earnest for a long time now. And when Evam offered me the opportunity to direct, it was the first play I put forth. I think it’s a very pleasant, funny, feel-good play that’s ageless and wonderful.
How is it shaping?
It’s shaping up very well. I’m lucky because I have fantastic actors and wonderful producers. It looks good for now and I’m very confident about how it’s going to do.
About the Evam team:
The Evam team is wonderful. My assistant director, Bhargav Ramakrishnan, is like a boon. He completely understands where I’m coming from, he’s incredibly reliable and he’s a wonderfully composed counterpart to me. I honestly don’t know what I’d do without him. I’m also grateful to my production head, Sandeep, who’s the light-hearted and chilled out person on this team, and who always remembers to bring food for everyone! My costume designer, Medha, is a god-send. She understands exactly what the play looks for, and she also has an extraordinary capacity to bring a definite sense of her own designs and perceptions into everything she does. She’s dedicated and has great taste as well. Sunil as producer has been very patient with me and I’ve interacted briefly with the rest of the team as well, of course, and it’s been, overall, a pleasant working experience.
Outside of Team Evam, the set designer, Mithran has created magic as always. I love his design and I’m very excited about it. The choreographer, Mani, has been remarkable. He’s created some pretty stupendous stuff. And the music director, Anil Srinivasan, has created wonders once more. I’m very fortunate to have the very best team possible working for this play.
The casting process:
Well, I did go through a very long casting process, but I found the perfect cast at the end of it. So I’m glad I went through all that. I now know how lucky I am to have such a great cast!
Not nervous at all! I think it’s going to be a fantastic show. We’re going to blow everyone’s mind – and that’s the only way to do it!
… and we can’t wait to be blown away!
for typos, gravity and other mishaps, check out manasi’s blog-
An Evening of random acts of absurd joy with great food .... minus alcohol
Where did the 525600 mins go?!
Swish, swash, a rush and a blur, 12 months have gone by and it’s new year again!
To mark this new years with a difference, we’re giving our favourite Chennai audience an evening they’ll remember in December 2009..!!Welcome to ’31st by evam..’
A unique, never-before and never-again night designed especially for the new year.
An evening of stand up, sit down, sing along, run about, beat around the bush, murder hamlet
and other such random acts of absurd joy.
Performed by three men and many many women!Watch the best of evam, in the cleanest party in town, clubbed with lip smacking food and packaged to make your worries fly away, minus the alcohol.
This new years eve, make a choice, sit back and experience the pit-falls of the sub-prime crisis or come on over, celebrate HAPPINESS for it is RECESSION PROOF!!!
31st of December 2008, at Chinmaya heritage centre, Chetpet, Chennai.
Evam’s first ever new year gigs – 6.30 to 8.00pm or 8.30 to 10.00pm.
Tickets: Rs.1000, Rs.750, Rs.600, Rs.300.BLOCK TICKETS NOW at www.evam.in
Tickets also available at all Landmark outlets.For special bulk booking deals and discounts do contact 98402 22363 or 99404 38669.
Evam is conducting a 2 day theatre cum acting workshop on Jan 3rd & 4th from 9.30 am to 6.00 pm at Vidyasagar, Kotturpuram, Chennai. Fee Rs. 2000 per head. Do mail to teamevam@gmail.com or call 99404 38669/98402 22363 for more details.
Cheers and Happy New Year,
Team Evam
