1.1 Introduction
Thousands of these unanswered questions, stop lingering in our mind, once we step
into basti. Most importantly, the main reason of conducting thrash band is to make migrants
comfortable and share thoughts, feeling, emotions and stories with us. No one in this world let their
children talk to some random stranger. Once we build certain trust in the migrants by an indirect
way of playing with there kids by means of trash band would certainly build trust in their eyes and
eventually open our gates to the better number of narratives.
Being a thrash band member my entire focus was on retrospecting our past performances. We at Swatantra Theatre have added a unique way of performing the applied theater (AT)by means of thrash band. AT has certainly been beneficial not only for migrants but also for the conductors. Our Moto was learning, doing observations and the maximum engrossment of the basti people ( migrants).
It was thoughtfully decided that we take up Thrash Band Workshop after the Playback activity because playback had thrash music in the background and we had tried to encourage people to play the thrash band musical instruments. Thrash band very amazingly took the Community Theatre ahead.
1.2 About Thrash (It’s making)
When it came to thrash band, We had 10 identical instruments with a distinct sounds. Each instruments were made to create different flavors of rhythm and the unique textures of beats. The brainstorming and different ideas were brought up by every team member in the chapter “the Construction of the instrument”.
We made 2 different drum kits for base which were made out of color paint buckets as a drum and a
huge water bottle of 20 liter for 2nd drum base.
Percussions were made from nail boxes. Metal rings and wooden block pieces were used for taps.
Vibrating Metal sheet were also used for thunderous sound effects.
1.3 (Thrash band member perspective)
The best part is the waste material which made unique sound for lucid compositions.
But Why lucid compositions?
1)Because this time we weren’t the only ones wh were going to perform, we wanted to explore together the process of creating music out of thrash.
2)For better understanding of beginners and them to enjoy there process.
The thrash band session was planned in the three different frames format. The first was the introduction of instruments, the handling, and its usage. In the second part, we as a group performed for their understanding and last was about mentoring and guiding them. There were 10 mentors for 10 different instruments with more than 20 number of kids
1.4 (Session Objective)
After few hours of practice while doing the improvisations, children observed us. They could literally understand our sign language. Certainly the first target was achieved.
As the time passed by then all of them got comfortable started making there own compositions. The second target was achieved.
Now the third objective was a bit tough where they were suppose to listen the vocals of mentors and
play the instrument on my instructions and guess what!! each of them were on the same page, I was
stunned listening to their performance. Conclusively, the third objective was complete.
1.5 (Observation)
There was an extraordinary kid who was playing the instrument on an off beats and still the beats got merged into the track. I was amazed the way he understood the technical part. Without any knowledge, he was effortless.
The one’s who did not understand and couldn’t participate in the trash band later joined us all for the dance session where all of them were on there toes, showing there moves on the beats we composed in the trash band.
1.6 ( Conclusion )
No doubt, It’s not a one day process where we go and expect for a change to happen all of the sudden.
Nevertheless efforts and communication process went smooth and we hope the new male faces who showed up can be reached out for narratives if they havent yet talked with the team. As far as our eyes were searching for potential performers we found a few who got so comfortable that they got ready to join us for our next performance. It was a very power packed and a positive experience.
