Playback is like a River

 

(In Gratitude for all the workshops I got a chance to attend, empathetic performances and the homegroup which listened to my most vulnerable self . IPTN Conference, Bengaluru ) : Dec 2019

by Jibrael Jos

Playback is like a river

A river to cleanse my soul

I took a little dip

And stories tend to pour

An art form which is immersive

as we feel the stories shared

The audience is drawn in

the world does really care

River takes my sighs and tears

River conquers all fears

When I am down and lost

It help me to stay afloat and steer

I set out to share the water

But in turn I quench my thirst

I set out to be the spark

But in turn feel lightning bursts

I sometimes am all churned up

Sometimes I am calm

I tend to think we are healers

But the river has its own charm

It flows in way I didn't fathom

Taking turns I didn't plan

With time I have learnt to trust it

To keep flowing hand in hand

A little bit of Armand

*Notes of attending a beautiful pre conference session with Armand Volkas*

by Jibrael Jos

A little bit of Armand

I take with me back

Will help me to shed light

On what I lack

I need to be driven

driven for a cause

I need to be living

living with my loss

Empathy which is real

Belief which is strong

Strength to heal

hearts which are wronged

His team is a reflection

Reflection of the man

The man is the image

of the work of his clan

"Healing the wounds"

His awareness of the pain

I felt myself change

As tears started to rain

A little bit of Armand

I take with me back

Will help me to shed light

On what I lack

Conversations

By Jibrael Jos

I see beauty in conversations

When truth is put out

I see truth in stories

When feelings are brought out

I see feelings in people

When they open up and share

and then as I listen

I see Beauty in Conversations

New Playbackers

Inspiration of new playbackers joining the group

by Jibrael Jos

Every new playbacker

Uplifts the group

Little babies but

they "adult" -erate our troupe

Seniors like me

think we share the light

But new facets etch

And give our vision new sight

Sincerity, connect

and trust take time!

But these children cut fat

like water, honey and lime

Before we know

They leave the shore

Walking on the water,

and trusting their core

Playback Online

Observation on a day during pandemic during a practice session with Actors Collective

by Jibrael Jos

Fifteen square inches of stage

Zoomed in to find a place

Stories of our journeys

Waiting to burst into space

Emotions weaved by wordsmiths

Into a poetic masterpiece

A lifetime and a time in life

Played out from mountains to the seas

On this theatric train trip

We chattered and we paused

Acting Quotient is needed

But empathy is the sauce

On shoulders of metaphors

Stories shifted with ease

Playback chugged home

and tellers found peace

Seeing my story played back

Observation post sharing a vulnerable story during a playback theatre conference in Bengaluru, Home Group lead by Joke Rood

Written by Jibrael Jos

A story kept knocking

Inside my heart

Mind kept it locked,

lest it tears me apart

A leap of faith

After seven odd years

it had become the centerpiece

In the museum of my fears

Awareness which sunk in

With shooting pain

Knowledge of the loss

As tears swelled into rain

In the torrential monsoon

I saw it played out

Because I trusted my circle

After years of doubt

Once played back

I felt no longer a victim

I could accept my inequities

And reset my system

A wound I received

Which I refused to heal

Afraid my mask n fortress

Will crumble and peal

Perspectives of my story

And my shattered mirror

Distorted facets

Flowing in the playback river

Healer and the Potter

works in mysterious ways

Sometimes I am the wheel

But mostly I am the clay

"I know exactly what you feel" Really !!

Introspection on impact of Playback Theatre, how playback theatre actors journey is never ending. Humility , Openness is key to doing justice to a story

"I know exactly what you feel"

Is a universal lie

What is going in each head

Is quite different, that is why

Siblings raised together

Or even friends for many years

Cannot possibly perceive

Dynamics of the others tears

Psychological journey,

the unique DNA inside

What the eyes sees

What the brain puts aside

Slowly builds our subconscious,

Learns to override and decide

Slowly sculpts our ego,

and even the degree of our pride

Love and sorrow

Depression and joy

Trying to understand causation

Is impossible, O boy!

We fail to understand

even our own thoughts

We fail to appreciate

the emotions it has brought

So we can empathies to an extent,

sit together, laugh and cry

but to know "exactly" ,

Please!.... that is a lie

Yet

Performing with Actors Collective in Sajeeva Space, Vijayanagar

29 June 2019

Audience were reluctant, yet

turned up with happy faces

Actors who gallop around

Adjusted to small spaces

Tellers who felt short, yet

Lived stories which stood tall

Tellers who felt weak, yet

Chose to take the difficult call

People broken, yet

inspired to live

People shaken, yet

but ever ready to give

Tears swelling, yet

Gratitude all around

Old Vijayanagar, yet

breaking new ground

Dynamic and Organic

Team did perform

Laughter and Tears

Will "Sajeeva" be our norm

Playback is Calling

Written by by Jibrael Jos

Playback is calling

Your heart wants to go

Your head is weighing it

But it also does know!!

Sharing in this space

Listening with your heart

Stories that warm you

Is the best way to start

Skills need time

It can't be practiced in the mind

Love, trust, acceptance

Where else will you find?

Life is too short

to watch it just flow

Playback is calling

Your heart wants to go