In theatre, a solo performance is a tightrope walk without a safety net. Stripped of the usual trappings — elaborate sets, co-actors — the solo performer relies solely on body, voice and the intangible thread of connection with the audience. There’s no “outside eye” of a director offering checks and balances, no one to share the creative load.
It is a lonely journey. Despite these impediments, the solo form is today experiencing a ferocious resurgence, and the reasons are varied and urgent.Solo performance requires minimal resources — often just a performer, a space, and an idea — making it a compelling medium for artistes grappling with economic constraints.
Unlike large-scale productions, it bypasses the need for funding, crews, or complex logistics.During the pandemic, as physical proximity became dangerous and budgets shrank, many artistes turned to digital platforms or solo performances. The ‘solo’ became a survival strategy — portable, flexible and adaptable to unconventional venues.
During the lockdown, I collaborated on two solo performances with actor Vansh Bhardwaj — ‘Black Box’ and ‘Trunk Tales’. The former was created as a response to the pandemic, where the actor explored themes of incarceration, loneliness and his desire to be ‘visible’. The play focused on the existential angst that most of us were experiencing.
The storyline followed the life of an actor cut off from work and community. He spent his days raging at his confineme.
