Play Review: Ismat Aapa Ke Naam, Part 2(9.5/10)

Rarely has a ‘part-two’ lived up to the bar set by a superlative ‘part-one’. Ismat Aapa Ke Naam Part 2 is one of those rare part twos. I knew I would enjoy this play even before stepping into the Experimental Theatre at NCPA, but I had not imagined it matching up to Naseeruddin Shah and Ratna Pathak Shah’s top notch work in Part 1.

This play too is a collection of three of Ismat Aapa’s hilarious and heart breaking short stories – Amar Bel, Nanhi Ki Naani and Do Haath, recited and performed verbatim by Manoj Pahwa, Loveleen Misra and Seema Pahwa respectively. The stories have the wonderful Urdu and Lucknow-style Hindi feel. The characters, costumes and the language create the atmosphere which rekindles the experience of watching Part 1 to perfection.

Manoj Pahwa does a superb job in Amar Behl. Only a person as “healthy” as him would be able to pull off the comic impact required!

Lovleen Misra is energetic and enthusiastic playing Nanhi ki Naani. The story has a RK Narayan feel to it, wherein the author simply spends the whole story building the character of the Naani. This story is very different from the five other Ismat Chughtai stories that I’ve come across (in part 1 and 2).

The “show-stopper”, though, is the incredibly talented Seema Pahwa in Do Haath. She puts up an absolutely remarkable performance, makes you laugh till your stomachs hurt and makes you wish you were a theatre actor. Her comic timing is impeccable, so is her command over language and pronunciation.

Amongst us who watched the play, three of us had seen part 1 and were glad we did part 2 too and the guy who had not seen part 1 only has more to look forward to.

PS. I sent my parents for this play the very next day too.

Play Review: The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial (8/10)

The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial is your classic quintessential navy court-room drama – intense, evergreen and clever. It is a two-act play (one act each for the Prosecution and Defense respectively) by Herman Wouk, which he adapted from his own novel, The Caine Mutiny.

In India, the Motley Group under the experienced direction of Naseeruddin Shah performs this celebrated play with oodles of zeal.

Ankur Vikal (the guy who played the negative role in Slumdog Millionaire) is the star of the show, hands down. He plays Lt. Commander Philip Francis Queeg, the captain of the Caine, with sheer brilliance. He captures the emotions, mannerisms, thought process and body language of the character with perfection. His strong performance drives my score for this play to go from a six to an eight. His court-room monologue, with the marbles in his hand, and dimming lights is a masterpiece. I truly have never seen something like it before. The Defense Attorney does a commendable job while the two doctors who come as witnesses play small cameos. Some of the other actors are a let down, the novelist of “Multitudes Multitudes” for example, stutters with his English diction and pronunciation, which in itself is an oxymoron. The play, in my opinion, has potential to be amongst the best ones, but for the lack of attention to detail in casting.

Though it is a gripping post-World War 2 courtroom drama, the play emphasizes the psyche of those at the forefront of battle rather than the battle strategy or a complex plot. This is definitely a must watch to complete the spectrum of contemporary Indian theatre. I’m pleased I did so and more so because I was accompanied by my “core-group” of friends.

Play Review: Classic Milds (8/10)

Light, funny, intriguing, smart and classy. That’s Classic Milds for me. It is a collection of 6 short plays, with no common theme in particular written by legendary playwrights in the hundred years between 1885 and 1985.

Intelligent comedy is a genre of its own. It is also probably the most difficult genre to conceive and enact. The treatment of unique situations is what makes you laugh instead of funny accents, confused make-up or wrongly matched clothes. It is subtle and not on your face. Again, it is intelligent comedy and not “mad-comedy.”

While mad-comedy tends to do really well in our country, with movies like Welcome being big successes; it is rather unfortunate that the rare intelligent comedy kind of entertainment gets unnoticed. I sure hope that plays like this inspire movies too.

Amongst the 6 plays, the best one is saved for last. The Still Alarm by George Kaufman is a beauty while Seduction by Neil Simon is almost as good.

The stories are fantastic, the actors not as good, but even then the experience is very satisfying.

What’s more I got two free tickets on purchasing two. Sold the two that I got free and ended up watching the play free of cost! Thanks to my idiotic mix-up of buying Sunday tickets instead of Saturday’s.

Anyway, all’s well that ends well.

Play Review: Ismat Aapa ke Naam, Part 1 (9.5/10)

Remember when we you were young? Remember your grandmother’s stories before you went to sleep at night? Remember the days when your forehead never wrinkled with worries? Seems long ago, right?

Relive those days by spending a couple of hours with Naseer-ud-din Shah and his family as they take you along a journey into Ismat Aapa’s land of fiction. Revisit that corner of innocence, which you did not know existed in your mind anymore. Come out and see the world in a new light, at least while the impact lasts. It’s been over 24 hours and I’m still feeling the impact – it’s a high in itself.

Okay, I have to digress here. Unfortunately, or rather sadly, I had not heard of Ismat Chughtai before. The loss was mine. Naseer-ud-din Shah begins the show with an introduction of Ismat Aapa and takes her name alongside O’ Henry.”That might be stretching it a little”, I thought to myself. I’ve read some of O’ Henry’s short stories, and they’re fascinating. But after listening to narrations of three of Ismat Aapa’s Indian, very earthy and captivating stories, I surrendered all my suspicion.

Ismat Aapa ke Naam is a collection of three stories, “Chui Mui”, “Mughal Baccha” and “Gharwali” narrated and acted by Heeba Shah, Ratna Pathak Shaah and Naseer-ud-din Shah, individually, one after the other. So it’s not your conventional play.

Ratna Pathak Shah –I always thought she was nice, but I would never really refer to her as a “beautiful” woman. But that was before this play. As she dresses up in unique attire, kajal in her eyes, and warmth in her persona I realized that this kind of “beauty” is priceless. Her narration of Mughal Baccha is so genuinely surreal.

Post interval is the master himself. Naseer-ud-din Shah has kept the most exciting story under his experienced hands. The expertise with which he conducts himself never stops amazing me. Such a master of his craft. Just look at his eyes – the depth, the experience, the skill, it’s all there. Also in his narration, be prepared to laugh

The lights, set design and background music is simple, yet so perfect.

I’m glad that I’m disproven in my hypothesis that famous actors make not so good plays. (Waiting for Godot, Salesman Ramlal, Kuch bhi ho sakta hai, The Blue Mug)

I’m glad that I could watch this play and experience the magic of Urdu – a truly charming language.

I’m glad I did so with the right people, followed it up with good food, and a solitary car ride home with Fuzon’s Aankhon ke Saagar.

Play Review: Hamlet (8/10)

A friend of mine had been raving about this play since almost two years. I finally got to see it and was more than satisfied.
Hamlet is arguably Shakespeare’s finest piece of work. It is quite a pity that it’s not known to a lot of people in our generation. Though, I don’t blame them. It is not necessarily easy to find the “thy” “thee” “thou” interesting. Rajat Kapoor thus comes up with a spoof, which while entertaining, also manages to convey the events and emotions which Shakespeare intended to show in his greatest work.
The actors are quite remarkable, their French accents impeccable and comic timing a sheer delight. If you’re sitting in the front rows, be prepared to get “involved.” And if you are a female, suffice to say you may just get a flavour of stardom or disgust depending on how you see it. Confused? Well, go for the play to find out.
The play, being one dimensional, may not completely satisfy the thespian in you, but it will definitely make you forget a long week in the office as you revel in the comedy which was originally a tragedy. We laughed till our stomachs hurt, developed an appetite and followed it up with a nice dinner at Temple Flower next to Prithvi Theatre. Nice way to end the week.

Play Review: Salesman Ramlal (4.5/10)

Salesman Ramlal is an ordinary story presented in an ordinary way. Even then, it appeals to one’s sensibility at times because after all the story of a loser somehow does gather some sympathy.
Ramlal is entangled in the web of financial debt, lack of skill and technological expertise, and humiliation. He adopts the escapist strategy and weaves a dream world in which he entraps his family. This hampers his child raising abilities severely and his children never really grow up. The play explores the relationship between a father and his eldest son; a typical relationship wherein the father believes his son to have a lot of potential but at the same time doesn’t endorse any of his actions.
The character of Ramlal, played by Satish Kaushik is conflicting and interesting! He is an egoistic, self centered and closed-minded individual who ever so often displays a boyish charm. He shows no respect to his wife’s opinions and thoughts but at the same time expresses fondness towards her. He is disloyal to her, but at the same time wishes to give her as much happiness as he possibly can. He is dedicated to his work, has spent his blood and sweat for the sake of the toy manufacturing company he works with. But in the process, over the years, he has failed to acquire any additional skills. With modern technological advances, he is now obsolete in the professional world. His ego prevents him to take up a job under his best friend Thadani and he spends his life in petty jealousy and comparison with others.
Satish Kaushik does a decent job. I think he would have been better in initial performances. He seems too well rehearsed to be natural any more. Most other actors are quite average…Ramlal’s kids in particular seem to have been picked up from the street, with no acting background. The eldest son’s childhood friend, Ramlal’s friend Thadani, and Ramlal’s elder brother are by far the most interesting characters. They make a dull play lively.
Overall, what this play lacks is something fresh. You will not see anything in this play that you have not seen or read about before. Even then, it could prove to be a reasonable outing on a lousy day when you’re stuck at home.

Play Review: Some Girl(s), 7 (+0.5)/10

Some Girl(s) is an entertainer. Written by Neil LaBute, this play is a hilarious take on a today’s modern young man who is about to get married. Before he takes this “big step” he visits some girls…his ex girlfriends – four of them to be precise.
The most striking aspect of the play is the sheer variety in the four girls he meets up with in hotel rooms of their respective cities. It symbolizes the confusion he’s always been through in “search” of the perfect girl. The first is the homely kind who is married and settled with kid(s) but dreams of a more “exciting” life, the second is this adventurous and super- hot interior designer who does not believe in marriage and the third is an older woman who has an even older husband! The fourth girl has a twin sister, who also happens to be one of our guy’s ex’s.
The play is equally divided as conversations with each of these four girls. The conversations are light, humorous, witty and truly entertaining. This is intelligent comedy almost as good as it can get.
Like The Shape of Things, another Neil LaBute play which I loved, this one too has a nice twist in the tale. It’s not something which will blow your head off, but like the rest of the play, it is light and humorous.
If you’re a guy and have ever been dumped/ broken up with a girl (which I presume is around 40% of people who’ll be reading this, the other 50% probably being girls and a small 10% guys who’ve never been dumped) you’ll really enjoy this play. Living vicariously through the protagonist, this play is going to make you feel that you CAN command some power in your relationship. Well, in real life, this is not true. If it is a relationship, the girl will have all the power. But this is a play, wishful thinking is allowed. :D

Play Review: Waiting for Godot (I can’t rate this)

Waiting for the interval is what we were doing while watching this play. And what did we do in the interval, well, we left!
Written by Nobel laureate Samuel Beckett, this play, is voted by some as “the most significant English language play of the 20th century”. Wikipedia says so. This has left me quite perplexed. I asked myself a million times, is something wrong – why have I found the “most significant” play of the last century to be “rather insignificant”. But when eight other friends who were watching echoed my thoughts, I let out a sigh of relief.
Some plays are better off left behind in the century to which they belong (“pal do pal ka shayar” and all). With all due respect to the writer and actors, Waiting for Godot, in my opinion is one such play. There may have been some relevance in the 1950’s for this kind of thing. Today, in fast moving times, though people love their entertainment they do not have the time to wait for some random person named Godot.
Like I said we could only let ourselves watch the first half. There were these two tramps, talking things which didn’t make much sense. Fine, we laughed a few times when they did or said some silly things. They were waiting for some Godot. No further information was ever given. After sometime Naseer-ud-din Shah entered. We chuckled a few times because he did a few silly things too.
There was something commendable though. These actors had amazing diction, pronunciation, a general command over the English language and all of that. It was amazing how they could go on talking without ever having a subject or theme. And perhaps that is what the audience was supposed appreciate. Maybe some people can do that…in these times may be one in a hundred.
Before the play begun, some guy had come and announced that Waiting for Godot is a play in which “nothing happens…twice”. I had not imagined in my wildest dreams that he meant it LITERALLY. Because, really nothing happened! (dint wait to see the "twice" part of it)

Play Review: Flowers (8.5/10)

Points to note before you think of watching this one
1. It is a monologue (only one actor talking for long without an interval)
2. The actor is Rajit Kapur
3. The play is NOT for pure entertainment – it’ll make you think, NOT make you laugh even once
4. Don’t make this the first play you watch – you need a little bit of maturity and play-watching experience to be able to appreciate something like this
5. Make sure you watch this with good company – it’s important that the person sitting next to you is also able to appreciate it
6. When you do go to watch this, make sure you sit behind. Believe me, you will not regret it.

Girish Karnad captures the thoughts of a priest and flower decorator who is caught in the severe tug-of-war between his love for god and love for a courtesan. The priest has dedicated his entire life to the Shiv- ling in the kingdom temple, decorating it with flowers. His art is appreciated widely and so is his devotion and loyalty. Then one day a courtesan who visits the temple comes into his life and chaos unfolds. He is torn between his feelings for his wife, his devotion to the Shiv ling who he considers as his friend and guide, and his responsibility to the society. It is a situation which can make the strongest of people, fall down like a pack of cards. As Rajit Kapur narrates the events, you realize why the play is a monologue. Simply because the narration makes you imagine the story and other characters. That’s unique.

Rajit Kapur does a mind-blowing job as he submits himself to the character and spills his heart out to the audience. To single-handedly keep the audiences captivated, to remember line after line of top quality dialogues and to do it all making it look easy – that’s what makes Rajit Kapur one of the most respected theatre actors in the country.

The ambience created by the lights, set and background music is spectacular. Monologues require these details to be correct and they were. Watch out for the last scene – it’s like two parts of a mysterious painting.

Flowers is not merely a play. It is an experience. I should actually thank my friend who planned this, for making it a memorable one.

Play Review: Chaos Theory (10/10)

Yes, this is the best play I’ve seen!
In contrast to the name of the play (and for that matter my other reviews), I thought I’ll write this review systematically.

1. The Theme: The play provides a new take on love. Unlike all previous insights into this phenomenon as a perfect chemistry between two people, the writer explores it as an imperfect branch of physics – as chaos theory.

2. The Story: It is a tale of unarticulated love between two English academicians, spanning generations and continents. They meet in the 1960’s in Stephen’s College of Delhi and move on to become English professors in US universities of Boston and New York. They witness each significant and non-significant event of each other’s life, without ever really being with each other. In the fast changing eras from the 60’s to the 70’s to the 80’s with changing social and cultural trends, changing lifestyles and fashions one thing remains constant – the presence of the other person in each of their lives.

3. The Dialogues: This is the department in which Chaos Theory blows away any of its competitors. The lines are brilliantly crafted – hit you right in the heart when needed, make you laugh out when that’s the intention. “You, my friend, are a semicolon in the sentence of life” and “I would rather take conscious advantage of livestock than unconscious advantage of you!!” Shakespearean quotes and references to literature are precise and classy. The remarks on Calcutta and Delhi are written in such a subtle style, they convey the characterization while making you laugh. Anuvab Pal, the writer – Hats off to him! Well, this play was actually a finalist in the BBC World Playwriting Contest in 2007 and won the Julliard Playwriting Fellowship in 2004.

4. The Actors and the director: Anahita Uberoi stands out. She seems to be at such ease with the character it’s almost surreal. I always thought natural acting to be an oxymoron, till I saw her performance in Chaos Theory. Zafar Karachiwala has also done a spectacular job. He seems well rehearsed and polished - amazing dialogue delivery. Shaana Levy and Sohrab Ardeshir provide awesome comic relief. Sohrab’s monologue on the “samosa” and the “vagina” is hilarious. Watch out for it! Rahul Da Cunha is the director – I don’t see anything that could have been better in this play. So I’m sure he deserves most of the credit.

5. The background music, set and costumes: The play uses the changing genres of music to depict the flow of time. From the Beatles to Queen and Kishore Kumar, the music is what sets the tone for everything portrayed in the play. In some ways it’s the soul of the play. The costumes are well chosen. A friend of mine noticed the way Anahita Uberoi changed her scarf/shawl in each scene to set the tone of the character. Details like this separate the men from the boys. They make good plays world class.

Play Review: The Shape of Things (9.5/10)

To put it short, The Shape of Things is a bullet through your brain. Especially being Indians, this play will shock you to the core and shake your belief systems. At least that’s what I experienced watching it with a couple of friends. Written by Neil LaBute, the play is set in the American Midwest and involves 4 young art students who become romantically involved with each other.

A random rendezvous between a guy working part time in the Museum security with an enchanting girl, with surprisingly iconoclastic views, gradually turns into a captivating romance. The guy who was once docile and introvert turns confident, much to the astonishment of all his friends and acquaintances. People who once ridiculed him now appreciate the clothes he wears and the confidence he steers. He goes through a complete transformation in personality, induced and encouraged directly by his girl-friend. Slowly but surely his life changes, as he is so lost in his relationship which definitely seems to be doing wonders for his personal growth.

A “double date” with another couple, the guy’s best friends, unfolds a new twist in the story. And as the play progresses the plot thickens and draws your attention 100%. As you approach the climax you can’t be thinking of anything going on in your life as you’re glued to the events in the life of these individuals.

The play delves deep into the psychology of relationships and how far people are willing to go for their sake. It is an intense, and at the same time a disturbing study of power within relationships. It poses questions on the ethics in a relationship. It shows that there exists but a thin line between art and life. The play dares to question centuries old social beliefs about love and its existence. And trust me, how much ever your heart tries to disagree with the point of view elaborated in the play, your head will not succeed in finding a logical flaw in it! You will try to disagree, but the thought will follow you.

Watching plays of this class makes you hate your job, your education and your ambitions. Why couldn’t I be doing something like this!! If you’re a science, engineering or commerce student…go watch this play..to get a crash course on psychology and arts, which, let me tell you, is far more complex than anything we do. If you're a psychology and arts student, watch this play to get a new perspective on your subjects, perhaps make it the topic of your thesis!

Play review: Me, Kash and Cruise (8/10)

Me, Kash and Cruise is a saga of three friends, in the back-drop of the city of Mumbai and its ephemeral social, political and civic scenario. Pooja Thomas (Me), Rajesh Kashyap (Kash) and Cruise Khan (Cruise) begin their journey in 1984, in the field of theatre and witness the ups and downs of the city from the 1992 riots and corrupt civil officers to the marketing gimmicks and bollywood gaga.

The USP of the play is the characterization- and that’s where Director Rahul Da Cunha is a sheer genius. The play probes into various perspectives on the city of Bombay. Cruise, a Delhi-ite who has come to the city in hope of making it big in the acting business faces the struggles associated with the city, from the pains of traveling in local trains to the misery of having to sustain the high cost of living. In contrast, Kash who belongs to a rich south Bombay family is the kind who romanticizes with Greek philosophical plays and looks for social meaning and relevance in theatre. He is not on stage to make money or sustain a living; he looks for complex characters, deeper meanings and cannot care less about audience appreciation. The usage of a Muslim (Cruise Khan), a Hindu (Kashyap) and a Christian (Pooja Thomas) character each is a sheer stroke of brilliance. The subtleties in their mannerisms the “che man, wat men” for the Christian, the Muslim using the word “begum” and the Hindu describing his religion as “moderate” are just some of the nuances Rahul da Cunha has managed to capture with real class.
Cruise is played brilliantly, especially the metamorphosis from a fun-loving, unsophisticated and blunt north Indian, who sees humor in everything and can be the life of any party to someone who faces the strife of Bombay life. Kash, on the other hand, being measured and sober, someone who typically blames the system and does nothing about it, jumps off his fence only to face blood shed and tears.

The surprise package, (or packages rather) is played by Rajit Kapur. If you think you’ve seen him do everything, think again. He plays multiple cameos, from a Mumbai Police guy, to a high profile event manager, he manages to put the audience into fits. To me personally it was amazing how “Byomkesh Bakshi” could play such a variety of roles especially the ones which provided comic relief in the true sense.

The play is also a satire on the problems plaguing the city and perhaps the country as a whole. The journey of 25 years takes one through a whole gamut of issues, Hindu Muslim violence, dug up roads, problems caused by festivals to name a few. But the bottom line still remains that the city is still loved. With all its flaws people have learned to live with it. Whether this is the right thing or not is left open. The play doesn’t talk about revolutionizing the way the city is run. It rather concentrates on the journey, on friendships that can take you across the biggest hurdles in life and the spirit of humanity which eventually is bound to win.

As Pooja Thomas takes you along their journey, you get involved. You can feel what the characters feel and very soon you consider them as your friends. Anyone who has spent time in Bombay will appreciate and be able to relate to some character or perhaps a combination of characters. Infact, I recommend watching this play only once you can feel the pulse of Bombay…