Barry John


Barry John, Director, actor, designer, teacher was born in Coventry, UK. A British citizen, he is more Indian and more theatre than anything British about him. Having spent over 30 years in this country which he loves, his visa issue has always been the lone uncomfortable issue about India. For the theatre personality who has given Indian theatre and education, at least equivalent to any Indian citizen, Barry John hopes to overcome the bureaucratic hassles and become an Indian citizen.

The icon of a modern day theatre genius has won the following awards:
Sangeet Natak Akademi award in 1993
Sahitya Kala Parishad in 1990
Delhi Natya Sangh award

INTERVIEW

Being a British national, how long have you been in India?

I came to India on a voluntary service programme from UK for one year in 1968. This later became 2 years and then more and more. I was here to train teachers and was working as a Lecturer at the Regional Institute of English, Bangalore (1968-70) and in my spare time, I taught theatre.

Have you liked being here in India?

For me it is a dream come true. I am not keen in going back to UK. If it is a right by the citizenship formalities, I am very proud to be an Indian! I somehow strangely feel at home. Probably it is in my British blood. They are always extremisits type - they either like a place too much or they detest it completely! I have had the former choice about India. I relish the spicy Indian food, its climate, its places.. except the power cuts though!

Coming to theatre, how has been your experience in India?

In theatre I started as Asst. Stage Director, Yatrik Theatre Group in Delhi in 1970. Then it was Theatre Action Group ( TAG) in 1973. Then I moved on to be the Professor of Western Drama, National School of Drama, New Delhi (1977-80) and Director, NSD Theatre-in-Education Company, New Delhi (1989-1992). I have probably not consistently been tied down to one particular institution! Very shifty it sounds but that's how I see progress as!

You have also been associated with films?

Yeah! Just a bit - with Shatranj ke Khiladi (Satyajit Ray); Kissa Kursi Ka (Nahata); Massey Sahib (Pradip Krishan); Gandhi (Richard Attenborough); Tamas (Govind Nihalani); Corbett of Kumaon (BBC); Miss Beatty's Children (Pamela Rooks); Shaheed Udham Singh (Chitrath). TV Roles: Raj Se Swaraj (Amal Allana); Himalaya Darshan (Serbjeet Singh); Tamas (Govind Nihalani).