Right or wrong, you decide: Interactive drama lets audience decide storyline

During the play, audience members are given racquets with a red ball painted on one side and green on the other. At critical junctures during the performance, audience members are asked to weigh-in with a show of racquets and the majority votes decide the next scene.

“In the end it is about what people think, and how we think as a society,” said actor Anand Ingale, who performs in the play along with Gayatri Deshpande and Sunil Abhyankar.

“As an actor, I have to be so alert, what I have just said and what will people say and now what I have to do. No performance is the same, we have done 10 performances, and everytime its a different outcome,” Ingale said.

“Kudos to the actors! Within moments of receiving the audience’s verdict, they seamlessly transition into performing the corresponding scene. The choices vary for each show. The same dynamic applies to the light and music operators as well,” said Bele.

About his writing process, Bele said, “In traditional storytelling, writers typically guide the story’s direction with subtle manipulation. In this format, however, I’ve entrusted this authority to the audience, while still bearing the responsibility of creating two equally captivating storylines. Ultimately, it’s the audience’s perspective that determines what’s deemed right or wrong. Balancing the storyline required me to set aside my personal convictions as a writer. The play offers two completely different outcomes and messages based on the audience’s choice. Trying to influence the audience would defeat the very purpose of the play.”

“Initially, responses was hesitant during the first few shows. While audiences enjoyed the play, they were skeptical about our claim of having multiple storylines prepared. They perceived it as a mere gimmick. To address this, we had to clarify our intent and explain the true depth of our creative endeavour during the interval. Ultimately, the feedback from those who watched the show multiple times helped us overcome this challenge,” said Bele about the response they’ve received.