Seasonal Fare

With winter upon us,the theatre season is all set to take off in the Capital with a host of new plays that explore everything from contemporary social and political issues to unsung heroes. Prominent city group Actor Factor travels 4,000 years ago to a tribal community deep in a make-believe forest called Quietly. The Butcher of Quietly,says director Sunit Sinha,is a dark comedy or technically,a tragic farce,which focuses on the politics of religion. On a stage that recreates a jungle,lit by burning torches or mashaals,a young man Soola is brought to trial for killing his wife. “How he uses religious dogma to plead his case makes up the crux of the play,” says Sinha,adding that the acting will be complimented by specialised choreography. He doesn’t deny that the message is heavy,but adds that “a good tragedy can move an audience and a good play will find an audience.” The play will be staged later this month and in December.

Theatre group Pandies is also exploring new dimensions of women’s liberation in their recent play called Sarkari Feminism,which premiered on Sunday at the Sri Ram Centre. The group has been traditionally associated with socially relevant feminist issues,and this year’s play is on the efforts of the government in implementing its pro-women’s polices. Anuradha Marwah,novelist and scriptwriter of the play,insists that although the issues dealt with are serious,“the treatment is light,but at the same time meant to provoke the audience to think beyond existing definitions of feminism.”

Karaikkal Ammaiyar is at best an unpronounceable name to most in North India,just as unknown as Rabia Basri. For Delhi-based theatre director Sohaila Kapur,however,the two pre-modern women saints are the heroines of her spiritual new play. “Karaikkal Ammaiyar is from Tamil Nadu (there are temples dedicated to her there) and Rabia Basri from Iraq,the world’s first woman Sufi saints,who changed the focus of Sufism from fear to love. The Sufism practised today is believed to be their contribution,” explains Kapur. It will be a quiet,meditative piece,unlike her rambunctious Bollywood drama Mahim Junction,with the focus on choreography and music,for which Kapur has roped in vocalist Sudha Raghuraman. The unnamed play is scheduled for March,in time for the International Women’s Day on March 8.

Director Smita Bharti asked herself the question,“If the goddesses,Kali,who signifies Truth,Tara (wisdom) and Bhairavi (supreme bliss) were to be born in today’s world,how would they be?” The result was a new play called Sachidanand. It revolves around three friends Satya,an academician,Chitra,a homemaker,and Anandi,a senior corporate executive. The “really deep stuff is tempered with a lot of laughter” as the play inches towards the climax where the women can realise their mettle – or stay in a mesh of ignorance. “The women can step out and become who they really are or they can remain stuck where they are,” says Bharti,adding that she’s still working on the dates for the play.

(With inputs by Deepika Nath)