Rama Moondra

  I should have written something else today. I wanted to talk about system failures of India or our Indian ness actually. But today’s blog is dedicated to my Boss who has to see this play from my lenses.

Me, Kash and Cruise

Rahul DaCunha’s play is about the journey of a city through the lives of these three people who inhabit it- Puja Thomas, Rajesh Kashyap and Pervez Bin Khan.

 Spanning a period of over twenty years, the play is interwoven with pains of living together of two different religions, loving, moving on and unites with changing face of relations and Mumbai. Blasts, love hatred and friendship, Traffic and ganapati, riots and soul searching…

The four actors on stage- Yamini Namjoshi (Puja), Amit Mistry(Cruise), Neil Bhoopalan (Kash) and Rajit Kapoor  tell their tale in ‘Me, Kash & Cruise’ is intimidating, endearing and definitely moving.

. The script itself is strong. So much in-your-face hinglish dialogues,The humor is what can be called ‘just right’- not too slapstick, not too intelligent. . Crassness’ of a pimp and refinement of a Doctor. All of them have their place suitably designed.

 One of the remarkable aspects of ‘Me, Kash & Cruise’ is it’s take on religion. The three main characters belong to different religions. Projected perfect,its a must see play.

New Place

 Nash’s House

 It was dramatist’s final retirement home. He purchased the impressive building for £60 in 1597, whilst he was still spending most of his time working in London.

As Shakespeare’s fame spread in the 18th Century, New Place became a popular destination for tourists. One night in 1759, incensed by the constant stream of onlookers, the eccentric owner Reverend Francis Gastrell took his fury out on a Mulberry Tree in the garden, said to be planted by Shakespeare himself. By morning all that remained was a pile of logs and the infuriated Stratford inhabitants retaliated by smashing Gastrell’s windows. In a tragic final act of madness, this time annoyed at Land Tax demands, Gastrell razed New Place to the ground. Gastrell was driven out of Stratford by murderous Stratfordians, and anyone of the same name was banned from living in Stratford forever.

The foundations of New Place are accessed via Nash’s House, once home of Thomas Nash and Elizabeth Hall. Nash’s House is predominantly 16th-century in structure. New Place and Nash’s House are situated on Chapel Street, in the centre of Stratford-upon-Avon.

Hall’s Croft Hall’s Croft was home to Shakespeare’s daughter Susanna who in 1607 married a highly-respected local physician, Doctor John Hall (after whom the house is named).

The Tudor building is of remarkable interest in its own right as well as the connection it has with Shakespeare. The Croft houses a collection of 16th and 17th century paintings and furniture, typical of a middle class family such as that of John and Susanna Hall.

There is also an exhibition about Doctor John Hall and the gruesome medical practices of his time, plus a first edition of his medical notes published in 1657. This intriguing house is situated in the Old Town area of Stratford, a few footsteps away from Shakespeare’s burial place at Holy Trinity Church.

The magnificent, thatched and timber-framed, Tudor farmstead is childhood home of Mary Arden, mother of  William Shakespeare. The building is  constructed using Oak from the nearby Arden Forest and stone from Wilmcote itself. The interior is of  Tudor farming family.

The house has been continually inhabited by farmers, insuring that the fascinating outbuildings remain largely intact, and provide a home for an extensive museum illustrating rural life over the last 400 years. 

Mary Arden’s House is approximately three and half miles outside Stratford and still retaining its country setting in Wilmcote.Mary Arden, grew up here before marrying John Shakespeare & moving Henley Street. It is also home to the Shakespeare countryside museum, two historic farms, displays of farm implements, daily demonstrations by the Heart of England falconry, a blacksmith’s forge and a duck pond.  

 The feeling I had there was something very different.Can we ever think of making  Shantineketan ( Tagore’s Abode),  Lamhi( Munshi Premchand) or Lucknow for Jayshankar or Nirala even a little bit familiar to today’s generation?

Before marrying William Shakespeare in 1582, Anne Hathaway lived in what is justifiably described as one of England’s most famous buildings. Part of the building dates from the mid-fifteenth century, and some of the furniture belonged to the Hathaway’s and their descendants. The garden is outstanding. Shakespeare’s Tree Garden can be reached through a turnstile.

 Four stone steps lead to the entrance of the house,through a low door into this historic building, with uneven stone flooring on the ground floor, and uneven wooden flooring on the first floor. The ground floor itself comprises different levels of stone flagging.

Exquisitely picturesque – the second favorite Shakespearian property, it undoubtedly took me to Doll- house days.It has beautiful orchard of apples. I really was surprised to see the apples everywhere. Initially I thought they would be up for sale but later found it was not so.

It was impossible to resist the temptation of eating an apple from the great dramatist’s orchard. I went and sought permission to pick an apple from garden and the staff gladly handed over two.

England as I see it

Travel England

A picture of his last home is here.

The australian are known for their legendary test for meat pies. Wines and Seafood are next favourite.

The opening dish is called The Entree’ the second course is the Main course. The sweet dish or Dessert is Usually called Afters or Pud.

An Australian invite’ usually mean a baked dinner. A “Roast Invite’ means Lunch. Aussie spirit is incomplete without a Bar’be cue.  If  you are not clear about the  invite’ go by the timings. Dinner is usually after 6 pm. ” Lets have Tea” means if the meeting goes well beginning at 3.30 pm ,you may be asked to stay back untill dinner .

A coffee means coffee usually unless you are invited home for a drink after coffee outside. So, personal discreetion is important. Have good time any which way.

Aperitifs are drinks served before the meal intended to stimulate the appetite.There are various basic types of aperitifs: bitters, vermouth, wines and sparkling wines. Cocktails or straight liquor mixed with soft drinks or water. Classic aperitif cocktails are the Martini and Manhattan. It is important to remember aperitifs are served without straws and usually without Ice cubes.

This generic term is applicable to all bitter liquers and bitters. Bitters are produced from Herb and root extract. From the narcotic components of tropical and sutropical plants and from spices.

Usual dark in colour,appetite promoting and digestion aiding. They make great add ons in Cocktails. I personally use Menta which has mint flavour and european in character and origin both.

Campari is another world renowned Italian bitter. Its mixture of herbs and sevile orange peel is heavily guarded secret. ( and you thought, its only Coke who does so).

The all time favourite is Underberg, secret recipe of german family since 1846 and known as hangover cure.

Now dont ask me, why would you drink a bit more to get rid of earlier one..Cheers to that

Bath, England, is a unique city; its hot springs, Roman Baths, splendid Abbey and Georgian stone crescents have attracted visitors for centuries.

Set in rolling Somerset countryside, just over 100 miles west of London, Bath immediately attracted me. Despite taking a train from Birmingham in heavy rains, I just could not stop myself venturing in city same evening. May be the attraction of walking where Romans walked on the ancient stone pavements, overpowered the chilly winter breeze.

Around Britain’s only hot spring, the Romans built a magnificent temple and bathing complex that still flows with natural hot water.

The extensive ruins and treasures from the spring are beautifully preserved and presented using the best of modern interpretation.

‘Meet the Romans’ costumed characters mingle with visitors every day.  Britain by itself, is a great story teller country. (No wonder, Indian history is full of those evidences) .

So when it came to hearing  the stories of those who lived and worked here 2,000 years ago, recreated using the best detective skills of Roman Baths archaeologists, I went ga ga about the oratory skills too.

Bath and the stunning countryside surrounding it is one of England’s most beautiful places to visit. It now has been declared one of the 21 most preservred sight in world.

Bath City, England