Bengaluru-based Theatre For Change is an advocate for a number of social changes in terms of the society’s mindset and persisting issues. For starters, they believe that any form of art should go beyond entertainment, which is also the prime motive behind starting this production house in 2015. Founded by Bengaluru’s psychologist and theatre personality Sujatha Balakrishnan, the three-year-old group is all set for their first performance in Hyderabad with When The Rainbow Is Enough, an all-women choreopoem, this Saturday.
Having staged various plays on specially-abled children and other social issues in the last five years, Sujatha has observed that Indian theatre rarely provides substantial roles for women above 45 years of age. “I would look at the casting calls and most of them would say artistes below 35. If you’re above that, you end up portraying the roles of mother and grandmothers. So, I called for auditions, looking for women above 50 alone. The turnout was unbelievable,” says the 61-year-old actor. Although the first few performances in Bengaluru comprised women above 50 years only, Sujatha later accepted younger women too, in order to add a different perspective.
Coloured vision
Inspired by For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow Is Enuf by American playwright Ntozake Shange, Sujatha brings together four women to share their struggles during various phases in life. Much like the theatre piece by Ntozake that consists of a series of poetic monologues accompanied by dance and music, Sujatha’s When The Rainbow is Enough also tells the stories of four women who have suffered oppression in a racist and sexist society. “While two of us are above 50 years (Sujatha and Suresh Sharma), the others are young (Vandana Dugar and Parul Bhargava). This time around, we want to concentrate on myths about both ageism and sexism and how it affects our lives. There is no set script,” she says. The aim, she adds, is to remind everyone that rich inner worlds can exist at any age because anybody and everybody is the protagonist of their own story.
Battles lost and won
The multi-lingual (Tamil, Punjabi, English and Hindi) monologues about stories of love, separation, societal barriers, Indo-Pak partition and ageism will take you back to a specific time in the cast’s journey, showcasing how they have weathered the storm and seen sunshine. “Although the stories might belong to a different generation, they’re sure to make one realise that, despite all the time that has passed, most of the hurdles the characters talk about are still as prevalent now as they were years ago. The play will give you nostalgia — bitter, sweet and full of meaning,” shares Sujatha.
Apart from the monologues, the play will also feature an ensemble of local theatre artistes presenting a short conversation that emphasises on the importance of storytelling. The performance will be followed by a Q & A session that will discuss critical questions like, “Why are most caregivers women?”, “Why do women face the dilemma of always pleasing others?”, to initiate a dialogue with the audience.
Tickets: Rs.200.
July 14, 7.30 pm onwards. At Lamakaan.