Eve– Feedback on Level 1 Workshop (2023/2)
Email – eve2410000@gmail.com
I got to know about Vishal Nayer’s Acting Workshop through my internship in the MISFIT play “Connectologues” directed by Venky and Vishal. I was having second thoughts about joining this because of my time management issues of all kinds but I am so glad that I joined it. It was so worth it.
Interning in the play was a different type of experience because of the people. This was the first time where I saw every single person of the group being genuine, helpful, encouraging and kind to each other. This spirit was one of a kind. I appreciate Venky and Vishal for creating this community for the play.
Then I joined the workshop as a documentarian and a participant. The workshop was a perfect toolkit for a beginner actor. Wherein, all the scattered and intellectual concepts on how to act were structured in a well formed manner. The structure made it so much easier to understand. Wherein, the demonstrations of everything made it all the more applicable.
It began with shedding our inhibitions- which worked to a great extent. Furthermore, working on creating a character was so simplified. This process was so much different than many other methods of getting into character from other resources. This one was so much more applicable and easy to understand.
There was an exercise and an example for every single concept. Additionally, the techniques of how to practise everything made the concepts sound real and actually doable.
It was nothing like trying hard to feel emotions. Everything was methodical and easy to follow (with practice). Everything made so much sense. The workshop catered to everybody who came. Wherein, them having different objectives did not matter.
By sincerely following everything that was taught and talked about in the workshop, a person can actually reach somewhere in his journey of becoming an actor. It was amazingly efficient.
I came here as a right decision to work on something I like; but as soon as I was in, I was terrified. It was like I was under the spell of restricting myself. And doing anything out of it made me feel like dropping everything and going back home.
I was so confused. I thought of leaving acting so many times. Because it was so confusing. There were a thousand different approaches and methods to do things. I didn’t know where to go and how. Then Vishal came in. He made everybody understand things in their own way. He just knew if he would have said it in any other way, the actor won’t be able to do acting. He somehow crystallised everything into simple instructions.
He pushed us off the mountain and we happily obliged. We believed in him for giving us a safety net.
Most things taught at the workshop were not new for me. I was aware of the theory because of studying theatre as one of my majors in college. But I actually got to know how to apply a lot of theoretical concepts into practice in the workshop. I had a higher level of clarity than before. The workshop was fast paced because of obvious reasons but the way it was structured and planned was so much more efficient.
Although, my previous awareness of a lot of things helped me understand it faster. But the rate of growth that I had in these 6 weeks was astonishing.
I have always struggled with shedding inhibitions. Because of that one single thing, I was not able to really start acting. But after the workshop, I could see the results just after the first week. The exercises done at the workshop were so effective. Firstly, Vishal made us do things with the entire group. Later, when we had to do individual or paired performances- for the first time in my life- I was not hiding. I actually waited for my turns. There were a fair share of times where I dreaded it as well. But it was a great improvement. More than acting, it felt like a life-coaching workshop.
The intensity of my fear kept reducing. I felt like I was finally going somewhere in understanding the necessity of me with a willingness to make a fool out of myself. And when I actually think about it now– when one goes with the attitude like this, he can actually never make a fool out of himself. Because he will be confident in doing so and confidence saves everyone from being a clown even if he is.
I didn’t care about judgement while performing in front of Vishal; I was actually focused on what I was doing. That was one of the firsts.
He helped me put the idea in application. The idea of doing it for myself. This time I wanted to do it for myself and not for the teacher. (to a level/to a far greater level than before) He made me realise the things I need to work on in a way I will start working on them instead of feeling bad about the same. Vishal made the areas to be worked on sound like building blocks to play with and not weaknesses to be ashamed of.
Vishal believed in all of us more than we have in all our lives. He made ‘believing’ a mantra. This was one of the most wholesome experiences I have ever had in my life. I realised how important the environment you work in really is. It really blew my mind with clarity.
I am so grateful. Thank you for everything.
I’d also like to specially thank Venky who mentored us for our grading play. Thank you for pushing us Venky.I am happy that our play needed a lot of work because we got you. You knew how to make every second dynamic and eventful to watch. You knew how to help each of us in our own ways. Thank you for making me understand the importance of having fun. Thank you for putting so much effort for our play.
PS:
Vishal, I can’t thank you enough you know.I don’t get nervous like I used to- when I go for rehearsal in front of my class anymore. I actually don’t think about their judgement (at least when I’m performing) You are so realistically positive I’m so much better. The amount of amazing growth that I had in a couple of months is all because of you (yes yes, i did what I did but I was stuck and lost- u literally guided me out of that cave and I’m getting more exposed now). I got so freaking lucky. It’s like, universe sent you in my path (cringe no? hehe) thank freaking god that I joined the internship. Oh my god.
I cant tell you how much you did and how much it helped me. It makes me cry. For real. I was helpless. For real. (Two years ago and I grew a lot. I was not that bad also but you know still.) I was getting there. But you gave me a head start- for a lack of a better term. I literally came out as a different person. The people who have seen me after two months tell me that. I’m more open. I’m more confident. It was such a safe space. You helped me so much. So much.
Thank you
_tears_
These words don’t amount to the emotion that I feel rn but okay
Thank you for being a teacher who is like a friend. Thank you for understanding my scared soul. Thank you for gently pushing it to come out, and pressing more it at the right times. The workshop was like a huge treasure. I tried to collect everything. Now I know where to go. And that’s the biggest part of the journey. Thank you for showing the right direction. Your teaching felt like worship. You actually cared about our learning. You made sure we learnt. You showed a path to my soul. Every morning I woke up and left early for the workshop in a fear of missing something people only get once in their lives. It was life saving. When I first saw you, I was entertained and intimidated by your large expressive aura. Then I listened to you when you were interviewing someone else. At that time, I didn’t know if I would be in the workshop or not. So I started writing down the things you were saying about being a character. It made so much sense. It felt like a sparkling light bulb to all my confusions. Thank you for your gentle honesty. Thank you for believing in everybody