A Lesson on Earnestness and Its Importance at IIM Indore

I have no idea if Oscar Wilde intended this one to be a pontification on the importance of being earnest in whatever you are doing. Whether it was intended or not, the staging of his play by the name (the Importance of Being Earnest) did prove that it helps-to be earnest.

I am referring of course, to the brilliant performance on campus (IIM Indore) by our students of this play yesterday. Three months of continuous hard work can do wonders, and the enthusiasm with which the cast and support did it bore fruit. It was one of the best possible renditions of this that you could pull off with an almost entirely amateur cast, the director being the experienced hand bringing it all together with great (im)patience-actually needed to drive a project of this kind. Talk about the importance of being Impatient!

The story of this play has a mix of humour- there are one-liners on relatives (aunts in particular), education, Londoners, marriage, high society, social standing, book-writers, and many things in between that would each make you roll on the floor in laughing fits- misunderstandings, suspense and of course, romance. Example of the Wilde humour- "all women become like their mothers-that is their tragedy. No man does-that is his."

The on-screen chemistry was wonderful, adding to the charm. The costumes, make-up and sets matched the 'Victorian' needs of the characters. The dialogue delivery added the needed punch.

Hats off to the cast-Avik, Philip, Shrunga, Jasmine, Sanjana (outstandingly scary as Lady Bracknell),Urvaksh, Ayushi, Siddharth, and of course, Shweta Kushal the director, and the backstage guys (stage, sound, lights, running around) for a memorable show!

Golfing in Pattaya

In Pattaya for a golf tournament organised by a friend and Director of Golftripz, Jogeswari. Excellent facilities, courtesy, and organisation. The golf (mine) is iffy, but that is always the case. When you sign up for it, you know it will be. But how does it matter? The idea is to have some fun and enjoy the companionship, and the opportunity to make new friends. Despite the pomposity of most golf clubs, golfers always get along, and make friends easily. At this age, or any age for that matter, what else does one need? 

This outing is organised by golftripz.com, who are new to this game but very good at what they do. May their tribe increase and prosper. Good for mortals like me who like to play for the fun of it, not necessarily to win a trophy. A thought that occurs to me, by the way, is, if Pattaya area can have 50 golf courses, why can't a city in India? We played at three courses- Burapha, Phoenix, and Laem Chabang, all close to Pattaya. The last was designed by Jack Nicklaus, and is very scenic. Spent a lot of time taking pics. We also had a party most evenings, also called 'the 19th Hole' in Golf parlance.

The caddies are women, in all the courses. They also drive you around on the golf carts, and are very nice, with lilting accents tellling you how to play, and commenting....shot no gooo.. means you muffed it. Right OBeeee, means it's gone out of bounds (O.B.) on the right, and so on. Goooo..means it was a good one. Putting instructions were also handy because the greens on these courses were extremely tricky to read. Had a party at Laem Chabang too, on the last evening, with a female singer who sang many old numbers, and the Dhoom machale song too. Think it was a Thai who sang the number.