‘A classic is for all periods’: Feisal Alkazi on adapting Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities on stage

Ahead of presenting his theatrical adaptation of Charles Dicken’s iconic novel A Tale of Two Cities as part of the ongoing The Summer Theatre Festival at Shri Ram Centre for Performing Arts (SRCPA) on June 10, he speaks to indianexpress.com on classic texts, musical stage adaptations and managing controversies.

Excerpts:

Set in Paris and London, A Tale of Two Cities brings to life the 1780s French Revolution through the stories of some of its unforgettable characters such as Sydney Carton, Charles Darnay and Lucie Manette. Why did you think of adapting this Charles Dickens’ classic?

A classic is always a classic. It is for all periods. A classic fits the past as well as the contemporary times. A Tale of Two Cities is as contemporary as it can get because it tells the story of the one per cent of wealthy people and the rest of 99 per cent who remain poor. There is still the question of inequality in the society. We still have two cities. The reality of the world comprises the haves and have nots. The beauty of the play lies in the iconic characters who still continue to evoke that sense of relevance even today.

Did you face any challenges while trying to adapt an iconic 18th century play for today’s audience?

When dealing with classic texts, one has to be extremely cautious. Nothing in terms of the language, period or costumes can be changed. Since, ours is a musical, we needed to be on point with the European music of those times. I must add that Sharmila Livingston (Delhi-based musician) created the music for the play keeping the European period in mind and has done a commendable job.

The iconic Dicken’s novel adapted on stage will bring to life the 1780s French Revolution in vivid detail set in the cities of Paris and London.

Also Read: ‘Children are the toughest audience you can possibly get’: Venita Coelho

Tell us about your preparations?

What matters in theatre is fluidity. To achieve that fluidity, it is important to rehearse and rehearse well. For a three-and-a-half minute performance, as many as 50 rehearsals are a given. There is also the team that matters. While seven of the main actors of this play have been with me through many years, there are also the young actors in the play who have in the past six months put in a lot of efforts. Initially, the sessions were with the young actors to make them more comfortable with acting, singing and dancing. Some of the actors had to organically practice singing which took about three to four months depending on their vocal range.

What makes musical adaptations special?

For me, a musical is all about finding emotions that go beyond (a dialogue on stage) and which is able to transport a person to a different realm, a climax that is determined by the power of music. They are definitely more challenging and gruelling but something that linger for longer.

For someone who came under the radar during the 1975 Emergency for two of your plays, Striptease and Rhinoceros, how do you handle controversies?

Oh! I love them. I can do whatever I feel like on stage which is a platform for dialogue of ideas, even if it raises the hackles and shackles of some people.

The play will be staged as part of the ongoing The Summer Theatre Festival at Shri Ram Centre for Performing Arts (SRCPA).

Do you ever feel that theatre is losing young aspirants to the visual medium, now overtaken by the web series and OTT platforms?

One must realise that for any medium, the basics have to be really solid. Otherwise, it is all superficial. One has to be able to play realistic characters whether on stage or in other mediums which requires sincere effort. That way, I really admire Pankaj Kapur and Irrfan Khan, who have played realistic characters.