Arvind Gaur’s group has chosen another Dario Fo satire for its summer repertory production. He tells Iknoor Kaur about the drama dealing with deceit and the framing of the innocent during a supermarket robbery
There are just a handful of dramatists famous for satire. Dario Fo is one. And just a few do wonders with his works on stage, like Arvind Gaur who recently directed Fo’s Can’t PayIJ Won’t Pay! based on an adaptation by Amitabh Srivastava.
Set in a simple, working class apartment, this satire revolves around inflation and the disturbed state of affairs in the country. The play hands the baton to female leads and revolves around their problems while handling a house.
Rising prices in supermarkets cause worry among housewives leading to one disaster after another. Two protagonists in the play, acted by Shilpi Marwaha and Palak Bhutani, are housewives struggling to hide goods from self-righteous husbands. Those goods were raided from a supermarket during a brawl. In the process they create problems for themselves.
Phantom pregnancies, saints and curses have all been invented to stop the police from catching them. Meanwhile, the confused husbands travel the entire city. This journey ends in the self-realisation that in spite of their being innocent, they have been wrongly targetted for stealing.
By the end, the husbands, played by Himanshu Maggo and Gaurav Mishra, turn the tables and take another road as the truth unfolds. Expressive lighting, simple sets and catchy dialogues are the highlights. The natural delivery of dialogues with intensity is the key to good humour. Sample this: “Mein toh pehli baar dekh rahi hoon ek police waale ki pregnant laash.” (I’m seeing the pregnant corpse of a policeman for the first time). Stunning performances, a roller coaster ride of drama, action and humour keep the audience glued. Shilpi Marwaha is also the head of street theatre at Asmita. She was recently dubbed the “Woman in Black,” for participating in over 5,000 street plays across the city. Asmita Theatre Group is known for presenting social issues through satire. This one deserves a bow.
As their team puts it, “If you’re in need of an anti-depressant, this is the cure. If you open your mouths to laugh, perhaps you will open your mind to look into the problems around us.”
Gaur proudly states, “My focus continues to be on superior acting and quality theatre with a message. I don’t want money, just your sweat and time to help us perform well.” Gaur tends to draw actors from people who come to watch the shows. They later join his workshops.
He also requests the audience to donate books to the actors. He believes the more well read they become, better is their chance to turn into influential individuals. He holds workshops on Sundays at India Habitat Centre to inspire talent. This play will be re-enacted as part of a two-month festival on June 30 at Mandi House. Other forthcoming plays are Moteram Ka Satyagrah, based on Munshi Premchand’s story, adapted by Safdar Hashmi and Habib Tanvir, on June 8 and 9. And Fo’s satire, Operation Three Star adapted by Amitabh Srivastava. This will be staged on June 15 and 16 at IHC and Sri Ram Centre.
The cast and crew including Shilpi, Suraj Singh and Shiv Kanungo will also be appearing in the film Raanjhanaa, set to release on June 21.