A satirical play ‘Jaanch Partal’ was staged here on Thursday at Shaheed Bhavan Auditorium. The play was staged to mark the opening day of a three-day theatre festival ‘Nritya Aangan’ organised by Kalandhika Nritya Natya Sanstha Samiti. Adapted from the original play ‘The Government Inspector’ written by a Russian dramatist and novelist Nikolai Gogol, the play is a comedy of errors satirising human greed, stupidity, and extensive political corruption of the country. The play is adapted and translated by Sanjay Sinha and is directed by Santosh Panikar and Tanaji Vavde.
The story follows the wrongdoings by the corrupt officials and how they cover up for these corrupt acts. The corrupt officials of a small town, react with terror to the news that a senior inspector will soon be arriving in their town to investigate the regular proceedings. The flurry of activity to cover up their considerable misdeeds is interrupted by the report that a suspicious person has arrived two weeks previously from New Delhi and is staying at the inn of the town. That person, however, is not an inspector; it is, a foppish civil servant with a wild imagination.
All the corrupt officials began praising him and feed him with a lot of cozy services and gifts. After few days, the corrupt officials ask the man that how much money he will be demanding to give a clear report of these officials. The man was much intelligent and replied as much as they want to give him they can. So, all the officials quickly give him a handsome amount thinking that they all are freed from the trouble.
While the officials take a sigh of relief, a message arrives from the real Government inspector that he will be visiting the officials immediately. The play was filled with satirical statements and situational comedy. Very well written, the play was wonderfully performed by the artists leaving the audience mesmerized. The direction techniques and the simple stage added much charm in the performance.