Finger Play

This drama in real life opened in February, but curtains rise on the individual performer/playgoer when Institut receptionist Bina Sen hands over a mobile phone in exchange for Rs 40 and a security deposit at the century-old Star Theatre in Hatibagan, north Kolkata.

Even before the participant leaves the theatre, the phone rings. An accented voice begins a conversation while guiding the player through the maze of ancient lanes, showing a back-of-the-hand familiarity with the route by recounting local history and architectural anecdotes.

At what precise moment the call ceases to be a walking tour guide and becomes a wellspring of emotions, it’s tough to say. But an aural web entraps the player, involving him in an incomprehensible larger game, transforming him from passive participant into active performer. The audience’s role passes on to bystanders and bemused residents, the crumbling mansions and the paved walkways become the sets of this strange drama.

At the end of the first act, the player finds himself at a hole-in-the-wall shop, where he reveals a password provided by the caller. A deadpan shopkeeper replies, ‘‘Download act two,’’ and hands over a packet of potato chips and a bottle of water.

The second act brings no big surprises, but in the next act—by which time the caller has become a friend, a reliable support in this bewildering situation—the player hears a new voice, which tells him that this is the real thing, the previous caller was a hoax, he’s just been conned.

Even as the player tries to come to terms with the ‘betrayal’, he’s provided a fresh set of instructions that lead him to a safe house, where he’s offered a mug of coffee and asked to detail his experience. A map showing the way back to Star Theatre effectively draws the curtains on this one-hour drama.

Kolkata has long been a hotbed of experimental theatre, but to say that this flexi-script experience is unique would be putting it very mildly. The reactions, says Patrick Ghose, Call Cutta’s local project coordinator, have ranged from the perplexed to the ecstatic. ‘‘Close to 150 people have played a role so far. Almost all of them began with reservations and inhibitions, and almost all of them emerged shaken by the experience,’’ says Ghose.

And it’s not over yet. Later this month, this one-on-one theatre will shift to Berlin, where participants will be directed from Kolkata. ‘‘It’ll be interesting to see how a person who has never been to Berlin describes that city to a native, complete with little anecdotes and historical references,’’ says Ghose.

(Call Cutta is on in Kolkata till April 30 (Wednesday to Sunday) between 2 pm and 5 pm. To take part,call 9831880501)