To Act Is To Do is a theatre and performance workshop that renowned actor  (across the platforms of cinema, TV , theatre and beyond) Mona Ambegaonkar brings to  Bangalore on November 23 and 24 at Atta Galatta. She says, “I use theatre training techniques mainly to help actors realize when and how and why they hit their individual ‘walls’ which are often described as limitations.My approach to these ‘limitations’ is that you have to have some basic ability or skill in order to find its limit. Therefore, one does have an ability.Now, we work towards finding out how that individual can push that limit further away each time they go to work with either a character or particular scene, so that they can find more facets to it. However, this ‘limit’ is not something only actors-in-training encounter. It is something that people working in office spaces, alone or within teams come up against all the time.After all, most work environments need communication and exchange of ideas and, success at these, is largely driven by the characters of all the individuals involved in that work.In order to work well with other people one must, above all else, have a clear idea of who one is and what one is capable of when problems crop up or when an unexpected character encounter has to be negotiated.”
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“The exercises in the workshop are designed to achieve that self-realization. Once that is achieved, for many, it can mean being able to live with oneself more comfortably. For others, it is finding out the true meaning of ‘I am my own worst enemy’. I maintain though, that each uncomfortable self-realization is the foundation of an automatic, in-built, habit-forming and totally character building process.Eventually, if these exercises are practiced, as we practice our singing or fore-hand or bowling techniques, they will become ingrained in our personality and we will assess and solve problems without resorting to the urges of our less-than-finer selves.We will also be able to communicate more clearly, we will be able to understand others around us better and therefore conflicts will reduce in number because our nature will tend towards resolution and not confrontation.”
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“Having said that, it does not mean that the workshop intends to teach pacifism. Indeed, just the opposite. When the dynamics in a group/team/work situation are clearly understood, it encourages people to make decisions based on clear thinking and follow it through with action in order to achieve maximum impact/success. Most importantly, every work environment has a leader and others who are waiting to replace her/him. The workshop will make you realize that those are not permanent roles and leaders are easily led and followers may become leaders. Both may go off in there own directions too!! In the end, all journeys, no matter what their directions are, are valid and valuable.”
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After the workshop, on November 24, Mona will also enact her acclaimed, much travelled solo performance of late Chetan Datar’s play No: 1 Madhav Baug and she says, “This play-reading will be in English.  I have done the English translation and had premiered it in Washington DC in July during the International AIDS Conference. Since then it has been performed in English at other venues around the DC-Baltimore area and here in India too. The Hindi version has had many shows all over India (and a couple in the DC-Baltimore area too) over the last three years.Due to venue constraints the play is being ‘read’, however, its ‘full-fledged’ theatrical version, ie. with sounds and lights and sets, is also up and running and has been doing well with the audiences in both Hindi and English.”
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