The Hindi adaptation of famous playwright Eugine O’Neil’s autobiographical play long Day’s Journey into Night ‘Raat Na Aaye’ was staged at Bharat Bhavan on Saturday.
Directed by Rasika Agashe, the play is realistic and scathing story of a family trying to cover up its scars, wounds, and tragedy makes for compulsive viewing.
Yashpal Singh Sahney, an ageing theatre superstar, is now facing faded glory. But his vanity and narcissism are still intact. His wife Bala is a seemingly charming homemaker celebrating her son’s birthday and is trying to bring her crumbling family together valiantly.
However soon it is revealed that Bala is just posing hard to put on a rosy picture of a blissful domestic scene. She is just back from rehabilitation for drug addiction. Owing to loneliness and depression, she has became a morphine addict.
The eldest son, Raj is a struggling TV serial actor, an alcoholic and a wastrel who visits brothels just to humiliate his illustrious father who had introduced him to acting. If that were not enough, the youngest son, Aayush is suffering from cancer.
The bold confrontations, the duplicity of relationships torn between love and rage, an all-pervading sourness set off an introspective mode in the audience. Flowing effortlessly, this very real family tragedy was staged with great sincerity.
This is a well-adapted play with an interesting set comprising ramps and inclined planes serving as metaphors in the story. The play was much appreciated by the audience for the effective performance on stage.