Spotlight Edition 6 is here with yet another set of interesting plays. This time, the debutantes present two plays — one that promises entertainment and the other that will leave you with food for thought.
Ettu Idly Era Kolambu, written and directed by Simon Roy, is a fantasy play that begins in a classroom where a teacher starts reading out an exam paper. As she reads, she becomes increasingly intrigued by the story and the scenes get tense when all the characters she reads about in the story start appearing in real life! What could have happened? “You have to watch the play to find out,” says Simon, who is making his directorial debut with this play. “The characteristics of all the characters have been picked up from the many interactions I have had with my friends. I have just merged all of it in a very comical play that will not only make the audience laugh but stay glued to their seats as the fantasy unfurls,” says the writer-director, who is also an investment banker. Ask him if his debut is making him nervous, and he says, “I am not nervous at all. I have been doing theatre since my school and college days. I am actually really happy that I can finally watch a play that I have directed.”
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R Ranjith’s Devi, on the other hand, deals with a serious social issue, one that was in the news last year — human sacrifice. Inspired by the 2022 Elanthoor human sacrifice case in which two women were tortured and murdered as part of two human sacrifice rituals in Elanthoor village in Kerala, Devi chronicles the story of a woman whose sister is first sacrificed and then her child is destined to die. She has to transcend time, break free of her fate and change her destiny to save her child. A woman in the world of men, will she save her child from her own family, from this world? Will she become the ‘Devi’?
“This is a play that has been staged before and has received a lot of appreciation. Yes, it’s hard-hitting, serious, and picked up from true events, but I did want a story like this for my debut. In fact, when we, Theatre 59, were brainstorming last year, we had a list of social issues to choose from, but we went with human sacrifice because we felt it was the strongest, most relevant subject to be discussed.”
Written by Ksheera Sagar and directed by Ranjith, the 45 minutes play will compel you to question ‘what is humanity?’
Spotlight is a monthly curated show by Juvith Arthi and is produced by Chennai Art Theatre. It’s a platform for first-time and upcoming directors.
Tickets at Rs 300.
October 22, 6:30 pm & 8:30pm.
At Medai – The Stage, Alwarpet.
Email: rupam@newindianepress.com
Twitter: @rupsjain