After having been a part of numerous productions, in 1991, eminent theatre actress and director, Lillete Dubey co-founded The Primetime Theatre Company. Since then, she has promoted several original Indian scripts and has directed 34 productions centred around human relationships. Two of her notable works include Dance Like a Man and 9 Parts of Desire. In association with Rangshankara, the veteran theatre practitioner brings both the plays back to the city after five years, along with her latest play Vodka And No Tonic.
Having premiered in 1995, Dance Like a Man is one of India’s longestrunning English plays to have completed over 660 shows across the globe. Sharing her thoughts on staging the play again, Lillete says, “the play is 27 years old and was the first production to be sold out among the three. I found this quite amazing because the play has turned out to be a cult classic.” The two-act play written by Mahesh Dattani deals with Indian society and the idiosyncrasies of men. Set in Bengaluru, the family drama follows Lata, the daughter of two bharatnatyam dancers who grow jealous of her imminent success. “My partner at the
time said that the narrative of the play isn’t interesting. But it has proved everyone wrong and travelled five continents,” she reveals.
Written by Iraqi-American playwright Heather Raffo, 9 Parts of Desire is a one-woman production that showcases the lives of nine Iraqi women during Saddam Hussein’s tyrannical rule and both the Gulf Wars. Talking about how Ira Dubey came to be a part of the play, she says, “the script was initially Ira’s choice and then when I read it, I loved it and that’s how nine parts was born.” Lillete was delighted when the playwright permitted her to direct the play, and staged it in 2013. “Ira would practise the Iraqi accent and listen to interviews to bring out the characters,” she exclaims.
Vodka And No Tonic, on the other hand, is from writer Shobhaa De’s book of short stories — Lockdown Liaisons. “Shobhaa asked me if I would like to adapt them and I did,” Lillete shares. The production comprises five stories, which explore and redefine human relationships when they are confined within four walls.
Rs 500. December 16, 17 & 18. At Ranga Shankara, JP Nagar