Mumbai is set to witness a theatrical spectacle as Aadyam Theatre, an Aditya Birla Group initiative, brings its acclaimed seventh season to a close with The Horse, an absurdist comedy directed by Sangeet Natak Akademi Award-winner Sunil Shanbag. This uproarious Roman satire, based on a text by Hungarian playwright Julius Hay, promises to be the season’s comedic highlight, premiering at Mumbai’s Bal Gandharva Rang Mandir on August 9 and 10, 2025.
Against the backdrop of ancient Rome, The Horse transports viewers to an evening of gaming at a tavern, where the mad Emperor Caligula and his people have assembled. The story goes haywire with the introduction of a young lad, Selenus, who, having lost all to Lady Luck, dauntlessly stakes his dappled-grey horse, Incitatus. In ignorance of the horse, this desperation stakes a riotous chain of circumstances which absurdly challenges Caligula’s rule and the sanity of Rome.
Sunil, who has been at the forefront of breaking new ground in theatre, reworks this historical farce into a thought-provoking exploration of modern themes on celebrity worship, institutional decay and the hubris of leadership using scathing wit and musicality. The show promises to provide an immersive experience, blending its European roots with an Indian theatrical interpretation using its soundscape and grand visuals.
The star-studded cast includes Akash Khurana playing mercurial Caligula and Neil Bhoopalam playing young Selenus, with a host of talented supporting cast including Harssh Singh, Rajat Kaul and Rozzlin Pereira. The musical comedy has songs written by noted lyricist Asif Ali Beg with the music composition by Kaizad Gherda. Stage design is by Kushal Mahant, costumes by Marvin D'Souza, with the Julio-Claudian period being recreated, and lighting design is by Hidayat Sami.
Sunil Shanbag has spoken of his long-standing wish to stage The Horse, citing its timeliness as a scathing critique of absurd authoritarianism and blind sycophancy. Aadyam Theatre’s seventh year has all through been celebrating strong Indian voices, ending the season with a play that will be both thoughtful and laugh-out-loud funny. This 120-minute English language play challenges us to consider what, and most importantly who, we worship.
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