Plays that stir the conscience, leave you speechless, or in splits, have no magic wands to thank. Nor is it the natural gift of acting that comes to the rescue of an under-prepared artiste on stage. Rehearsal and rehearsal alone, to paraphrase Naseeruddin Shah, is what determines the health of a production.

Mumbai, however, isn't the city that lets artistes eat, sleep and breathe theatre, the way they would like to. First comes the commute to the rehearsal venue, for however convenient the location, it will likely be far for someone in the cast. Next is the rent, which could be anywhere between Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 per hour. Which means that a four-hour rehearsal for five days alone could cost Rs 10,000. Then there is the very nature of theatre, which compels many to take up other projects, and the juggling could hamper the creative process.