Theatre as Wound, Theatre as Witness: Bond and Ali Across Cultures by Muhammad Adnan Gujjar

 

THEATRE AS WOUND, THEATRE AS WITNESS: BOND AND ALI ACROSS CULTURES

 

Edward Bond also talks about the concept of repetition in modern text. Repetition is also necessary element in modern texts of drama. He expresses: “That is why in modern text situation are repeated and developed- Why one speech is repeated, modified, extended, passed from character to character –as the situation becomes more precise, close to total situation. So patterns of developing imagery become important. Contrasts become important. Combinations become important, the uses of grammatical tenses and changes in them become important: because the worlds are in struggle, shaking each other hiding in each other, driving each other”(2000, p. 14).

This suggests the idea of repetition in modern text of drama where different situation are repeated thoroughly throughout in modern texts of modern drama. Bond considers it the obligatory component of the drama. Many acts and dialogues are repeated the play The Guilt.

The act of dance by female dancer is repeated towards the end of first two acts. So, the female dancer appears on the stage two times. Each time she repeats the same action with the same images on the stage.  Moreover, Gamma repeatedly keeps on typing and tearing the pages throughout the play. It shows his obsession with creative work of art. He is unable to finish his story and tears off the pages in frustration. The characters use the abusive language repeatedly in the play. It elucidates their inner frustration and violence.

Theatreof event has the concept of rationality and logic.  In it, the events are enacted and presented on the stage to give a clear picture of society. As bond refers it. “The center of the drama is logic, the logic of imagination. Logic turns effect into events. A theatre of events is the conscious use of theatrical drama to illustrate the center.(2000, p. 17). 

 In the play The Guilt all of the events are logically embodied. The happening of blasphemy is reported in the play. As gamma says:

Gamma: The story misses a character, Billa. (He stands up and switches on the television.) 

(The music for the breaking news. The sound of rain. Shera wakes up and sits in a hunching position.) Newscaster: three hundred Christians are burned alive for committing blasphemy. According to reports, the blasphemy was committed by a child who was nearly ten years old. People could not contain their anger. (2014, p. 45)

These lines elaborate the practices of society. It shows the atrocities done in Pakistani culture. This event is logically linked with the story of the play. TE has different parts which are deployed in the play. These parts are events, centre use and event not effect. The centre of stage is also used effectively by the dramatist in the play. The playwright has built the connection between the events performed on the stage and audience.

Edward Bond has given the theoretical concept of self-site. Here the self means the dramatist. He called the playwright consumer. According to Bond, the dramatist is also involved in the story of the play. The Guilt (2014) reflects the inner thoughts of the dramatist. The characters are infect the voice of dramatist in the end of the play the poem unmasks the thoughts of the writer. As it is stated that:

Art is cruel

            It feeds on the misery of

Shines on the erased graves

Weaves its images through the veins

Of the torn flesh, slices the flesh in to stanzas

Cuts the heart in to lines, peels the skin in the meter,

Yes, Art is cruel.(2014, p. 61)

These lines depict the worries of the artiest in the play. Apparently, these are connected with the lives of the artiest in the play but inwardly it shows the anxiety of the writer. He is obsessed with the creative of art. It shows the mental makeup of the writer.

A play represents a community. It posturizes the social norms and values of a society. It is connected with the community. The Guilt (2014) presents a crystal clear picture of Pakistani community. This idea of community is linked with consciousness and the writer’s self-consciousness as Bond says

We exist in time the self-conscious mind must also imagine. Conscious has a moment, self-conscious has time. Self-conscious creates future and so a sense of morality. Imagination is the knowledge by time we live and die. Imagination enables us to live self-consciously in the world but also distort its reality to meet our desire to live, survive and prosper and our need for justice.(2000, p. 15)

Itis the self-consciousness of the writer which creates a world in the play. The community is reflected in the play. The play clearly depicts the fears and sufferings of the people living in this community as it is stated in the play.

Shera:  (He glances towards the window on the left.) it is still dark outside, Gamma.

Gamma: (He stops writing and also looks at the window.) clouds. Wind. Perhaps a drop of rain? Who knows?

Shera: Rain! (Looking at the sky through the window) No. Do not come down, please! Respect my show.

Gamma: The show must go on. Is that it? (2000, p. 6)

These lines show the fears of artists living in a particular community. The artists are worried about their performances and work. They are not facilitated well. They are suffering due to weather. However, Shera is pleading for respect from nature because his work is not respected by the people of Pakistani community. In fact the drama mirrors the community through characters, setting, action and language of the characters.

Bond is of the view that theatre is social structured as it represents the community. It is designed according to the costumes of society. Bond Conceives Theatre as

Theatre is a social structure invented in order to do precisely: describe in a way that may be experienced the relationship between the worlds. This is so clearly that happens in Greek Theatre and in all good theatre that has followed.(2000, p. 28)

It shows that theatre is the representation of social norms, values and traditions which run through the different worlds. Bond also refers Greek theatre that theses worldly experiences were present in the past in Greek era. The setting of the play confirms the idea of theatre as social structure.

It is three o’clock late at night. Centre stage left is a table and chair. There is a typewriter on the table with pages scattered around it. A filled jar of coffee is near the typewriter. On the right side of the typewriter, there is a cup and an ashtray. The table is covered with ash and dust. A green lead pencil is lying behind the typewriter. To the right of the table, there is a small sofa with a small table in front of it. (2014, p. 1)

The setting depicts the structure of the play that is linked with structure of the society.  The setting reveals the life style of the characters in the play. These characters are stereotypical representation of ordinary people in Pakistan. The images of typewriter, cup, ashtray, pencil and jar candidly expose the habits of the characters. All these items on the stage elucidate the idea of a common man’s life in Pakistan.

Edward Bond views that purpose of drama is to highlight the social vices in order to correct them. It should present a realistic picture rather than a wholly fantastic story. The drama should create awareness among the common masses about social evils and their correction. The dramatist seeks for social change through his creative work of art. Bond comprehends:

Theatre wants audience and so it should sell lies. There are two reasons why it should not-one is that people are not fish and they fundamentally want to know their situation. Another is, Play should deal with important matters and so writers should not lie about them. If we cannot tell the truth in theatres we should leave them (2000, p. 28)

It shows the function of theatre and drama. The basic purpose of the theatre is to create   awareness among the audience. This awareness is about the contemporaries’ issues of contemporary times. The Guilt (2014) realistically presents the social picture of Pakistan. It sheds light on the societal norms and social practices of contemporary Pakistan as the downfall of art and theatre is shown in the play.Moreover, the acts of bloodshed and terrorism are also reported on the stage through the medium of TV.

(Blue light. The brief sound of flute playing. The thin and lean female dancer, takes off the white sheet, folds it slowly and puts it down, throughout the dance, a loop of light falling from the top surrounds the dancer. She moves towards the centre of the stage. The drumbeating begins. The sound and peace of the drumbeating is slow. The drumbeating ends as the dancer takes five quicks spins with arms and hands straight towards the sky, with fingers pointed like arrows towards the sky.(2014, pp. 22,23)

These lines show the picture of a female dancer on the stage. It tells that the stages are designed for vulgar dances that can only burden the soul. Stage is meant for entertainment and lesson but in Pakistan it is corrupted. This is the cause of corruption and vices in Pakistan. The dance of female character on the stage throws light upon the fact of social vices prevailing in Pakistan. It means that the theatrical performances are corrupted through such acts and these acts are polluting the soul of people. These acts are harming the moral fibre of people the dramatist wants to create awareness among common masses through the depiction of this kind of dance.

Bond views about the compact and précised play. He condemns the detailed descriptions. It should be precise and it should be comprehensible for the audience as he conceives about the drama that “I am map of the world- and I must be precise”.(2000, p. 30) It shows that drama should be precise and compact in its length and degree.

The Guilt(2014) is a compact and précised work of art. It is comprised on three acts and each act is short and compact. Likewise Shahid Nadeem’s Black is my Robe(Aug 26, 2008)is also a compact and précised work of art. The playwright through this short play clearly depicts the picture of Pakistani society. It is the beauty of Ali’s play that it shows a lot through precision.  We do not find the long speeches of the characters in the play rather they speak very precisely.

According to bond, language is very significant. It plays the vital rule as it is connected with a community and its people. The writer through the language seeks for justice in the play. The characters of The Guilt(2014) use abusive language which accelerates their anxiety and violence. They have become violent because they have faced violence. They are treated violently that is why they are treating each other violently on the stage.

Shera; Hello! Dog. (Short pause) how are you? She-male?

Billa: I am fine donkey.

Shera: ( Shera runs around the sofa while Billa cries at him.) Do not run. Your trousers will fall down. (Shera stops running and Gamma laughs.)

Billa: (holding the scarf again wound around the neck of Shera) Come, come, old bear.

Shera: Ok! Young monkey.(2014) (p 18)

These lines show the significance language used by characters of The Guilt (2014). They are abusing each other. Their abusive language is an epitome of Pakistani society. Their language unmasks their psychic pressure as well as the unjust behavior of Pakistani society. Moreover, it also highlights the social practices of Pakistan where a father is not respected by children. They are laughing at each other. They are humiliating and making fun of each other through the use of abusive language.

Edward Bond in Social Madness in The Hidden Plot Notes on theatre and State (2000).  describes the causes of social madness in the society. In social madness Bond feels “People go clinically mad when they cannot create a practically working relationship to society to reality. Instead they create a society of their own. They go mad in order to find sanity.” (2000, p. 87) In fact madness is tool to protect sanity. It helps to survive in the society. Towards the end of play, Shera and Billa act clinically mad. As it is stated

Gamma! (Gamma rushes towards him and holds the other corner of the upper layer of his left hand and slowly begins to fold the upper layer of stage towards the down stage. The sound of rain. Now, Shera yells at Billa.) Billa! (Billa moves, holds the center of the layer with his hands and they all begin to fold it slowly. The draped body of the sleeping dancer is also folded in the layer of stage. They continue to fold the layer of stage. The sound of the opening and closing steel gates. They continue to fold the layer till they reach the edge of upstage. They put one hand on the folded layer and stare back at the audience. All sounds become still. Loud sounds of the eagle flying in the air. Silence.)(2014, p. 64)

Towards the end of the play the characters fold the layer of the stage.  It suggests the idea of intrinsic psychic pressure. They find difficult to survive in the society. They act cynically mad in order to protect their sanity.

 

Biography

Muhammad Adnan Gujjar is a full-time lecturer in the Department of English Language and Literature at the University of Chenab, Gujrat. He is a poet, columnist, and the founder of a literary magazine, The Wordsmith E-Magazine. Currently, he is working on the 5^th edition of the magazine.