15 October,2020 06:33 AM IST | Mumbai | Team mid-day
This darzee seems to have found the perfect resting spot to catch forty winks while on the job at Vile Parle
This darzee seems to have found the perfect resting spot to catch forty winks while on the job at Vile Parle on Thursday. Pic/ Anurag Ahire
What makes a good musician? Perhaps someone who dedicates time to play a musical instrument, regardless of whether a gig is around the corner. Similarly, what are the skills that an actor can emulate to stay 'an actor' even in the absence of work, especially in the pandemic?
Offbeat Circuit's Instagram live session Being an Actor Everyday with the internationally-acclaimed director, teacher and performer, John Britton, aims to approach these scenarios. The theatre veteran with three decades of international experience, specialises in interdisciplinary work, use of the body, ensemble and improvisation. He has worked with multiple performance forms, training people across Europe, Australia, the Americas and India.
"For actors, the body is their instrument; one that needs to be ready anytime opportunity strikes. One needn't wait for auditions or work opportunities to start practising their craft. And this session will be full of important tips for actors to dedicate time to their craft, every day," Dhiraj Wadhwani of Offbeat Circuit told this diarist.
This year has already seen an eclectic list of desi connections when it comes to goings-on across the globe, be it politics [US Democrat VP-elect senator Kamala Harris] or the literary world [Avni Doshi, Booker Prize shortlist]. Adding to the latter is recognition for Bhanu Kapil's work in poetry. The British poet of Indian origin finds herself in the shortlist for the prestigious TS Eliot Prize 2020 that has just been announced. She is in the fray for How to Wash a Heart (Pavilion Poetry). Born to Indian parents in the UK, she grew up in a middle-class neighbourhood in London. Kapil, who teaches at Naropa University and Goddard College, Colorado, was also one of the recipients of the Windham Campbell Prize in March 2020. The coveted prize honours the best new poetry collections published in the UK or Ireland.
Have you been hesitant to step out for a drink? Bring your own glass, and we'll fill it up for you, says co-founder of The Bar Stock Exchange, Mihir Desai. The initiative has been introduced considering the safety concerns of customers. "It's as simple as our tagline. You bring your own glass and we serve you your choice of drink at any of our outlets. While ideating on how we can go that extra mile to comfort our patrons, we decided to introduce this concept to make our customers feel safe," explains Desai.
Interestingly, for contactless drinking options, people can also pre-order their drinks through the app and they will directly serve them in their glass. "At the property, people can order their drinks and we pour them straight from the bottle at the table directly into their glass," Desai shared.
Vincent Van Gogh was a genius who lived a troubled life. This weekend, in an interactive session, painter Rohan Koli, alumnus of Sir JJ School of Art, will demonstrate Gogh's style, while Dr Swagata Dasgupta will present a psychological study of his works. "We will assess paintings, including the potato eaters and sunflowers. Most psychologists agree that Gogh had bipolar mood disorder, the rate of which is staggering in creative people. The session will share coping tips for today's artists," the duo shared.
As the pressure from toxic online trolls pushed jewellery brand Tanishq to pull out its recent ad revolving around an interfaith marriage, Bengaluru artist Prasad Bhat's illustration on the episode is winning hearts on social media. The artwork showcases the mother and daughter-in-law duo from the ad, standing under an umbrella smiling towards each other, as a flock of mountain bluebirds from the Twitter logo try to rain on their parade.
"It is unfortunate to witness how divided and intolerant we have become as a nation. What was even more heartbreaking was the response of the brand. Instead of ignoring the trolls, they pulled the ad down and apologised. By doing so, they have given more power to these bullies. The artwork is a reminder that they ought to have realised that the people claiming to boycott the brand are mere keyboard warriors venting out their frustration. It's important to protect ourselves and our families from online hate and toxicity," Bhat told this diarist.
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