Environmental Theatre

Whose Mumbai Is It Anyway?

Whose Mumbai Is It Anyway? is a satirical look at life in Mumbai from an environmental perspective. This 40-minute piece has been collaboratively devised by the Clean Air Island Players: Ashish Arora, Pankil Shah (courtesy Hima Kala Kendra) Gulshrin Dubash and Sara Matchett from South Africa, who initially directed it.

The ever-increasing denigration of Mother Earth calls for serious action, action that demands individual responsibility. “Whose Mumbai Is It Anyway?” is an urgent and innovative appeal to all who breathe her air. The style of the play is based on theatre by Bertold Brecht in Germany and Augusto Boal in America. There is no script. The actors themselves improvised, the words based on their experiences of living in Mumbai.This method of working, as Sara puts it, “where process and product are given equal weight, is really exciting as it creates an immediacy in performance. The performers also have a strong sense of “owning” their work; they feel wholly integrated into the play “

The play has had over 120 performances since it began in April 99 and is being performed at various companies during lunch hour, at residential complexes, schools, colleges and as dinner and lunch theaters at hotels.

Major sponsors have been Orchid Ecotel (50) Kirloskar’s Oil Engines Ltd. For 11 performances for their staff and workers in Khadki, Pune, HSBC with 10 performances for their banks in Mumbai and Delhi, Amar Raja Batteries for 10 slum and public places, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and Rotary Club of Bombay for 50 performances for their Child Spacing and Environmental programme

Jaago

A collaborative project between Clean Air Island and Greenpeace International, Jaago has been devised as Physical Theatre to explore the devastating effects of air pollution. Using the example of the Bhopal Gas Disaster of 1984, the play examines how we are all responsible for creating our own Bhopals around us. Jaago takes the audience on a journey of self-empowerment; the ultimate realisation being that every individual has the capacity to create change.

The Clean Air Players have chosen the medium of Physical Theatre as an innovative way of dealing with the subject matter. Physical Theatre does not rely on the spoken word, but rather on the language of the body where gesture becomes the primary text to create meaning and tell a story.

Collectively created by:

Gulshirin Dubash, Juliette Jenner, Aditya Verma, Nisarg Doshi and Sara Matchett

Chakram Chakkar

This play is a part of the project “Child Spacing and quality of life in Clean Air Island, Bombay” initiated by The Rotary Club of Bombay with support from the David & Luicile Packard foundation and UNFPA (The United Nations Population Fund). It has started in Jan. 2002. It will be performed in a Municipal school and will extend to the connected slum. The play will have 40 performances for beneficiaries in slums, schools and often public areas in the CAI between CST and COLABA initiated by A Clean Air Island production supported by David & Luicile Packard Foundation and UNFPA.

Chakram Chakkar is a play by Clean Air Island to help raise consciousness on the effects of over-population and the environment. This 50-minute performance touches the common problems that we in India face, with deforestation, air-pollution, space shortage and increasing numbers. The play shows how various characters deal with the everyday choices they face: getting my daughter married, feeding all my children, what will I do if I have another girl-child?

The play challenges our mind-sets by holding a mirror to our attitudes. We change through the realization that these mind-sets are no longer relevant.

Although, the themes of the play are serious, they are dealt with in a humorous and light-hearted way. We meet Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh who playfully argue with one another, blaming the problems of the universe on each other, “Vishnu, you’re the preserver, what have you done?! There are so many people in the world that there is no space left for other species…”

Chakram Chakkar is a unique mix of East and West as conceptualized by two directors from different continents, with members of Clean Air Island: Urvashi Chugani (London), and Harbansh Singh (Mumbai), with advisory support from the late veteran Hima Devi. Incorporating the Panchtantra Tales, Hindu mythology and a French theatrical concept based on ‘La Ronde’ (A Round), it is an innovative and exciting piece of theatre.

Environmental Workshops

Air Pollution Workshop

This workshop asks participants to brainstrom pro-active ways of reducing and dealing with air pollution and provides them with information concerning air quality. During the first half participants learn about air pollution and its negative effects on the environment and body. In the second half participants learn about ways to reduce the negative health effects of air pollution.

Vermiculture Workshop

This workshop covers the basics of vermiculture and how it fits into a larger environmental scheme. Participants will learn how they can use vermiculture to cut waste management costs, while helping to clean up their environment. This workshop is meant for bulk producers of waste who are interested in vermiculture on a large scale as a way to cut costs and producing vermicompost for internal use or sale.

Greening With Vermiculture Workshop

This workshop is an extension of our vermiculture workshop. Participants learn about vermicompost and how it can be used in public, private, and large scale agricultural situations.

Paper Re-Use Workshop

Enviro-Wise

The Enviro-Wise Workshop is designed to provide street children with environmental as well as life-skills education. The first session focuses on equipping the children with relevant, transferable life skills, through drama-based activities. The second session focuses on the environment, with specific attention given to greening and vermiculture. These sessions are hands-on. The eventual aim is to encourage the children to take responsibility for their environment.

Public Awareness Vehicles

A non-polluting Public Awareness Van with audiovisual equipment and displays will be used as a mobile centre for familiarising the public with the objectives of Clean Air Island and ‘how to do it’ details. This vibrant van will be accompanied by animated street performers and will stop at areas where people congregate. There are three vans available for sponsorship, each covering a different aspect of Clean Air Islands activities. All of the vans prominently display the sponsors logo as they bring environmental education to the people. The subject areas covered are vermiculture, electric vehicles and paper re-use.