Russian playwright Nikolai Erdman penned the dark comedy "The Suicide" at a time when the country was under Joseph Stalin’s totalitarian rule. While its performance was proscribed during that era, over time, this play became synonymous with revolution. Erdman’s satire has often found a place in several countries over the last few decades; different playwrights have adapted it as commentary on their socio-political situation. Mad One Theatre, a Delhi-based theatre group, is next to try their hand at contextualising this social comedy according to the Indian political landscape. Elaborating on his decision to adapt and stage this play, director Saif Ansari shared,
“The play is seen as a political satire but this story is based on the life of a man [person] who exists in every corner of the world. He exists for his own survival, he has no big dreams, he just wants to live. We then see how the society—representing various groups—is opportunistic. Since this is the tale of every single society around the world, I felt that it needs to be told.”
Packed with punches
Centred on the life of a young, unemployed man named Samas aka Sam (played by Saif Ansari), this play showcases the plight of unemployment through the protagonist who is desperate to die by suicide. Simultaneously, we witness how various groups in the society—the intelligentsia, political parties, religious leaders, civil society groups, and others—try to exploit Sam’s miseries by pushing forward their own cause. The Suicide, thus, attempts to bring the innate selfishness of mankind to the forefront, in a
humorous manner.
Packed with jokes, japes, and several instances of physical comedy, this adaptation cleverly localises Erdman’s satire so as to let entertainment take centre stage–often presiding over the ideological message it was meant to deliver. The viewer is certain to have a good time because the play has been written—and bolstered by power-packed performances—with an attempt to make it relatable to the audience. References of demonetisation, the new Agnipath scheme, Mann Ki Baat, and a few terms from political speeches that have become a part of common consciousness, are an important part of the narrative. However, the focus stays on human nature and its inherent greyness.
A musical spectacle
Ansari uses music, every now and then, as an element to tone down the seriousness of the issues portrayed in this production every now and then. When Sam’s neighbour Alex (played by Jitender Hooda) takes the stage, the entry music of Kabir Singh (2019) plays as the background score. At another point, the cast—at a party—breaks into a dance and performs a two-and-a-half-minute bit on Faakhir Mehmood’s Maahi Ve. The play will resonate with an audience that wants to spend two hours watching something that makes them laugh but, doesn’t provoke them enough to start contemplating on pressing world issues. While the music and the comedy keep them hooked, the political undertones get lost somewhere in between the gags. Talking about the play, Nitya Vashishtha (21) from South Delhi, concluded, “The characters were interesting and the play was detailed.”