Looking at the next century with Gaiety
By Rama Sharma

SHIMLA Amateur Dramatic Club, popularly known as ADC has turned 162 years old, a unique distinction for an institution which could easily be described as the most famous, the oldest and at one time, the best equipped dramatic club in the world. Set up in 1837 by the British in India, after Independence its administration was taken over by the Indian Army. The history of ADC goes back to the times when theatre was looked upon as a major and serious source of entertainment and, therefore became a cultural necessity for the English elite. Hence, Shimla became the home of amateur theatre and the Gaiety Theatre produced

the best of the plays performed in London. Shimla Past and Present speaks of the glory that the ADC enjoyed for its excellent plays. The amount of expenditure Shimla the ADC incurred can be gauged from the following account: "The Club in her Victorian days has received much indulgence from her flighty extravagances, for later in 1898 General Morton, then Adjutant General in India, who had served as first Secretary to the ADC, advanced the Club a sum of Rs 2000 to avoid having to pay interests on overdrafts. This was all notwithstanding the fact that gross receipts for that year amounted to Rs 45,000, itself not a record !" With royal patronage theatre became popular at Shimla and half-a-century later, in 1888, the town witnessed the inauguration and registration of Shimla Amateur Dramatic Club as Joint Stock Company. It was this club which virtually took upon itself to arrange theatrical activities in Shimla.

Among the leading theatre personalities connected with the Shimla Amateur Dramatic Club are: Field Marsal Lord Roberts, who remained president of the Club from 1891-1892 during his tenure as Commander-in-Chief of India; Major P.H. Dnyer, a distinguished producer and actor who acted in Loyalties, Interference and Mary Rose; Lord Bill Beresford, V.C. who was the Military Secretary to Viceroy Lord Lytton, famous poet and author Rudyard Kipling, Lord Kitchner, Mrs Deane, Major General Sir Godfrey Williams, the Chief of Scouts, Colonel Baden-Powell, and Sir Dennis Fitz Patrick, Lieut-Governor of Punjab during 1895 and many others.

Notable film personalities like K.L. Saigal, Prithvi Raj Kapoor, Shashi Kapoor, Jennifer Kendall, Raj Babbar, Anupam Kher, Manohar Singh, Nasseerudin Shah, frequently performed on the stage of the Gaiety theatre.

Last year a serious attempt was made to rediscover the role for which the Shimla ADC was established in year 1837, i.e. to promote amateur theatre in Shimla. Under the dynamic leadership of its President Lt. General Vijay Oberoi, GOC-in-C ARTRAC, the club organised a week long one-act play competition. Two categories, one for college/university and the other for amateur theatre groups were created. Besides a running trophy for the best play in each category prizes for the first and the second best actors and consolation prizes were also awarded.

The other notable event was to honour theatre veterans from Shimla who had distinguished themselves in dramatics since 1950. On World Theatre Day, the President of ADC gave citation and awards to four prominent theatre personalities. A newly constituted theatre promotion sub-committee headed by Brig Gonsalves drew up its calendar of activities which included the club’s annual English play and another drama festival-cum-competition for amateurs and young performers from colleges and universities. The club’s annual Hindi play will be performed in October next to coincide with the ARTRAC Raising Day celebrations.

To mark the anniversary celebrations this year the ADC presented a three-act play The Happiest Days of Your Life by Brian Wodehouse, a breezy comedy completely in tune with the anniversary spirit. Most of people involved in the play were established members of the ADC.

The Happiest Days of Your Life is a situational comedy, set in war-torn southern England where intensive bombing had razed several school buildings to the ground and hence the surviving premises had to be shared between schools. The situation becomes humorous when Hillary Hall; an undamaged boys’ school reopens after the war and is required to accommodate St. Swithins which is supposed to be a boys school but actually turns out to be a girls school. It leads to many an awkward situation. The theme is typically British and has an old world charm. It depicts a time when girls and boys were restricted to separate schools under rigid discipline and co-education was unthinkable.

With such dedicated performers around Gaiety, one can look forward to the next century with confidence and hope the ADC’s tradition continues.