Talking Texts / Backstage Passes

My young friend Ashwini is responsible for this. Sunday, September 21st could have been spent at home lazing!! But Deepti, her best friend and she felt that I would enjoy the workshop being held in their college – Christ University.

It turned out to be a day well spent. Talking Texts was a fantastic concept which examined literature in the performing arts – Theatre, music and dance. Seminars have been held and discussions held ad nauseam about the various authors, poets, playwrights and their body of work and contribution to literature. In that sense this effort by the students from the Department of Media Studies at Christ University was unique and truly commendable.

I had planned this blog entry the following day and did make simple notes that Sunday night. But……….sigh!!!! So memory is a bit dim as I sit multi-tasking; watching the news of Sachin dedicating his century to the victims of the Mumbai terror attack, President George Bush having boots thrown at him by an Iraqi reporter (for those who missed it I am not being irreverent or joking or kidding you), Aamir Khan’s eight pack, cash for votes scam, blah, blah, blah and try to make sense of my notes. I think they also had the title “Backstage Passes” and I am not sure if this was the main title for the workshop. Sorry!!!

Anyways, when it came to music, the workshop dealt with the history of the Blues by a fine group of musicians – Barracuda Blues – as well as the rock music and its contribution to literature. It was amazing and I learnt a great deal. The education was priceless. My notes pertain to the session on the Blues - “History of the Blues”. It began with the music of the slaves who were brought in from Africa to work in the plantations in America. This music which had its seeds sown in the dark continent, was evolved in the plantations, fanned out and spread from plantation to plantation. The lyrics that have been penned over the ages, reflect the times and the rebellion of the people. The spirit could not be enslaved!! The Blues also depict the spiritual essence of those that penned the lyrics and this style of music played a major role in the civil rights movement.

I was fascinated and can’t thank Ashwini and Deepti enough. Trust girlfriends to know how, what and when you need some “time off”.

What struck me during the course of the presentation on the “Blues music” was that here again there was no mention of women’s voices though. To think of the indignity and humiliation they had to undergo not to mention the exploitation and violence that would have been part of their daily lives. Was there no desire to give back in equal measure? No song in their hearts?