THE World's A STAGE

In a Bazaar India exclusive, nine theatre performers put on an act and share their personal experiences over the years.

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KALKI KOECHLIN

ACTOR

"I was once a sheep in the school Nativity play, but that didn't deter me from taking part in school plays and drama festivals from a young age. It was my teacher, Miss Ruby Mangaldass, who suggested I pursue further studies in drama, and that seemed like the funnest way to face university, so I applied and got into Goldsmiths' College in London.

'Do nothing, Until you have to': that's what my theatre guru Shaupon Da taught me. And it's the best advice I have received.

I could get into character in many ways...it could be an accent, or a walk. But mostly, it's just learning lines and showing up to rehearsalsthe rehearsal space offers so much, the other actors, the director, that's where you discover the character.

Sometimes, I walk off the stage and can't remember where I am for a second, then I realise I have to get some prop which then prompts me for the next scene. My favourite play would be the first one I wrote with Prashant Prakash, Skeleton Woman, not because we are such great writers but because it came from us, we knew it inside-out.

I also truly enjoyed working with [director] Rehaan [Engineer] on Far Away by Carly Churchill. And I deeply admire Gulshan Devaiah, though he stopped doing theatre a long time ago and only works in films now.

I get stage fright almost every time I'm about to go on stage... An energetic warm up helps, but still my stomach turns."

JIM SARBH

ACTOR