Makarand Deshpande’s new children’s play centred on animals delves into the joys of living in the moment

Makarand Deshpande (left) instructs the actors during a rehearsal of the play. Pics/Satej Shinde

Navigating through a sea of actors outside Moonshine Studios, tucked away in a quaint nook of the otherwise bustling neighbourhood of Andheri West, we finally reach our destination for the rehearsals of Timeboy. A children's play by Makarand Deshpande's theatre troupe, Ansh, it tells the story of a curious seven-year-old penguin's escapades with time. We almost second-guess our location as we are treated to an unusual surprise - no children in sight. First impressions can often deceive, we learn, as three actors soon break into an act from the play, seamlessly transitioning into the role of a child in the blink of an eye.

"There is a child inside all of us," Nivedita Pohankar, writer, remarks, adding that it is channelling that child into performance that brings Timeboy to life. As she guides the actors towards acing it, Pohankar's instructions sound seemingly simple, "Be free; think like a child. Live in the moment and don't be afraid to be as expressive as you can be." For what the child inside cannot teach, she shares, the troupe turns to children in the audience for feedback. "It is a constant learning process. We did a few shows with only children in the audience and asked them what they wished was done differently," she adds.

Makarand Deshpande and Nivedita Pohankar

The play revolves around the story of Murli AKA Timeboy, a curious penguin, his family and friends, including Pohankar, who are each assigned an animal. The play delves into the curious and impatient mind of the protagonist who makes an impulsive trip to the future, only to realise what he has in the present is his most prized possession. "The animals keep the children hooked to the story," she reveals, adding that other elements like self-written songs, and a play of lights further enhance the visual experience for their young audience.

Between Pohankar's instructions at the studio, an occasional recurring prompt caught this writer's attention - "Imagine how Mak would do it," referring to theatre maker and actor Makarand Deshpande, who we learn, has even played the part of the seven-year-old titular protagonist at a previous show. Somehow, that doesn't come as a surprise given his lively and contagious free-spirited nature. "Do you see yourself in Murli?" we probe.

"Absolutely. What keeps me ticking is the child inside me," he exclaims, adding, "It's not as much about the appearance of an actor as it is about how well the character lives inside him. A child has no fear of failure or judgment, he is free from societal confines and lives in a constant state of wonderment."

For Deshpande, the message of living in the moment is as relevant as it could be today. "We live in times where kids live in virtual worlds more than the real one. You will often see parents boasting how their children can operate complex gadgets. That, by no means, is a measure of a child's achievements. There are moments to be lived and experienced by being physically present. Nothing can substitute that."

As we step out of the studio and head back home, Pohankar's words echo in our minds, as if the instructions were not just for the actors. "Be free; think like a child. Live in the moment and don't forget to be as expressive as you can."

On Today; 11 am
At Prithvi Theatre, 20, Janki Kutir, Juhu.
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Cost Rs 300