What started as a platform for budding theatre artistes to test their skill shas now become a space to not just hone talent, but also bring stories of all kinds for the audience to enjoy and engage in. Now in its fifth edition, Spotlight brings the ‘Female Edition’. Spotlight, a series of plays curated by Juvith Arthi and produced by Chennai Art Theatre where new and upcoming directors are given an opportunity to stage their plays, has so far seen only male directors making their debuts. “We actually scouted for female directors or female theatre artistes who are willing to direct, because we wanted to make a conscious effort in allocating this edition as a ‘Female Special’. That’s when we found Jaishree Arli and Thamizh Selvi, who have directed Untitled Kadhal and Vaesimagal or Nightshift, respectively,” Arthi says.
Untitled Kadhal touches upon a very typical but never-ending social issue about caste playing a major role in marriage. The two main protagonists of this theatrical play, Abijit and Meena, have been in love for a long time, and they think it’s time for them to get married. As such, both approach their individual families. While Meena’s family readily agrees, Abijit’s conservative mother wants to know about Meena’s background. Abijit tells her that in all these years, they have never discussed their backgrounds because it didn’t matter to them, but now that he has to, he asks Meena. She, on her part, has no hesitation about telling his that she belongs to the Scheduled Caste. “I wanted my directorial debut to have a strong and bold message, hence I chose this story. Also, I want the audience to feel the pain of people who are discriminated against on the basis of caste,” says Jaishree.
Nightshift, on the other hand, explores the lives of sex workers, depicting their daily experiences. As the plot unfolds, the audience gets to know that one of the sex workers is pregnant, and decides to keep the baby. The story follows her journey as she navigates the challenges and triumphs of motherhood.
Selvi, who has directed this play, tells us, “This is the second play I am directing, and through Nightshift, my aim is to show how, for sex workers, body matters more than their mental well being, because for them it is the body that acts as a means to earn a livelihood. And since this is the Female Edition, I thought it best to bring the lives of these women who are shunned by the society.”
Tickets at Rs 300.
September 23, 7 pm.
At Medai – The Stage, Alwarpet.
Email: rupam@newindianexpress.com
Twitter: @rupsjain
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