Sometimes going into an important day its very hard to get your expectations right. You know deep down that things must fall into place, that things must go on smoothly, maybe there is even a thought about just reaching the finish line – how and when doesn’t even matter. Then there is another part of you that wonders how well can this day actually turn out.

The D-Day for Poison was here and I was quietly confident about the play. The things running in my head was the million production tasks that had skipped my mind during the previous week. The cast were in earlier than me and they looked in much better shape than me – good sign I told myself. I didn’t put in too many inputs on the day and simply let them get into the flow of things.

I dont know if it was the pressure of the big day or if I was simply overworked but as the time for the start drew closer, I panicked. Maybe panic is too obvious a word to describe the state I was in that day but sure as hell I wasnt able to put one line straight to get the work done. Fortunately for me that was where my friends stepped in. As I mumbled and fumbled they got the stage and the space ready within minutes and then it looked like we were all set for the start.

The moment the performances started, I calmed myself down and went to the back of the audience. But the drama for the evening wasn’t yet over. The play was announced and the curtain opened but the cast wasn’t there! I get a call from backstage and its one of the actors telling me to close the curtains so they can get into their initial positions. The curtain was opened without an initial warning to the cast. What happened next sank my heart; I waved from the back to indicate the curtain to be closed again and after a few moments it was.

A few seconds later the curtain was opened once again; “Take two then” I told myself. At this point I was a little scared; what could go wrong, had already pretty much gone wrong. What if the play didn’t work? What if people yawned and walked out?
Fortunately I couldn’t dwell on those thoughts for too long. I heard a distinct cry from backstage, it was one of my actors but there were no worries this time around, thats how the play started :)

Thirty seconds into the play and I knew we had created something special. How good a comedy is, can sometimes be figured out by how soon it gets the audience warmed up to laughter. Once someone watching a comedy is brought to a state where they already know that they are watching something thats going to make them laugh, half the battle is won. You then have an audience that is enjoying itself and thats a playwright’s dream.

I have watched a fair share of comedies and with most comedies getting a huge roar of laughter is awesome; Getting laughter combined with claps that is almost a rare feat. Some of the best comedies have had about a dozen such moments in about an hour and a half. With Poison we had our first perfect moment less than a minute into the play. The accolade kept revisiting us right thru the play and each time it happened I could feel my heartbeat going faster and faster. Suddenly I wondered if I was actually in a dream.

Maybe a Dream would be a good explanation coz by the end of the performance I was in a bit of a daze. Standing right at the back also meant that I would be watching the play two feet away from my friends who had made it just in time for the play. A couple of them turned back and gave me an encouraging smile during the performance.

Actors were in absolute form in the evening, this was without a doubt their best performance and it was very obvious they were enjoying the performance. Some of the big laugh lines didn’t work but many of the small ones were a bit hit; eventually I figured the audience had enjoyed it much more than I hoped they would.

The audience was packed that evening and after the play most of them stayed back to have a rendezvous with the cast. The informal session had people giving us feedback about their thoughts and feedback. I was still very much dazed by the events around me but one moment from that evening will forever be etched in my memory.

This moment, when it happened caught me so off guard that it simply did not register in my head. It was only when I went to bed that night that the realization hit me…

As the cast lined up on stage for the curtain call I sat down with them before the informal interaction started. Ratan was the first to speak to us… He stood up and gave us a standing ovation… My finest moment on stage.

Its hard to explain how much that meant to me. Writing about it, my eyes are all musky right now.
Honestly put I don’t think I could have even thought about how much satisfaction and pleasure that moment brought me…

We had done it, despite all the events leading upto the big day; We had gone the distance and had a crowd cheering our every move.

One of the biggest mistakes that I did that evening was to be too overwhelmed to give my “thank you” speech. I had planned one a long time back but with all the madness I was caught tongue-tied on stage. So here is what I wanted to say:

There are so many wonderful people that have been part of this Poisonous journey. Some made brief but decisive impacts on the play and some where there encouraging us all through out. A special thanks to the L1 students that helped us immensely on the day of the play. Thanks also to the many L2 students that supported us and encouraged us when the chips were down. Venky thanks a million for the opening line of the play and that superb impromptu performance. Krishi you have always been there encouraging me and giving me your honest opinions, they truly helped me hone my skills. Vishal thanks mate you have been the voice from the other side when I was lost :) I so wish you could have been there to watch the play.

There are lot of people that have been spectacular support behind the scenes but the most prolific of the lot has to be Avinash Daniel. I think its extremely easy to say “Thank you” and be over gratitude but that wont even start to make up for all the support and help Danny has given the cast and me over the previous weeks. Thanks a lot mate; the show wouldn’t have been the same without you :)

Venky, Venkat, Amit, Akshay and Ravi; Thanks a million guys for the performances before Poison. It was very important that we had such wonderful performances to get the ball rolling :) You guys gave us the perfect start :)

Mishra Ji, Richa, Ever-ready and Tharunya, thank you for the amazing effort over the past few days. It took something truly special to fight off doubt and believe in ourselves; The audience loved you and I am delighted that you were the cast for my first play written for stage :)

And Ratan Takore Grant, I dont know where I can even begin thanking you. You inspired the writing of Poison, you inspired the decision to make it into a play and you were our compass when we were totally lost. Words cannot express the gratitude I feel :) I now even more eagerly wait for the day you are on stage wording the lines written by me; that would be my greatest honor :)

A special thanks to my family and friends that have supported me over the years. It took a while to get here but the journey was something I wouldn’t give up for anything in the world :)

That my dear friends is the story of Poison :)