This Valentine’s week, shifting from the 2022 dark comedy The Pillowman, city-based theatre ensemble, Storyboard Productions in collaboration with Preksha Theatre Company (PTC) is set to present a theatrical adaptation of French playwright Yasmina Reza’s God of Carnage. While Sandeep Tadi, director and co-founder of Storyboard Productions helmed The Pillowman to deliver what he calls a ‘never-seen-before’ investigative thriller, God of Carnage will chronicle the realism of marriage. Outweighing generic meet-cute V’Day tropes, the director’s artistry will depict bounds of unresolved anger piling up and culminating in an unexpected explosion. “There is no happily-ever-after. It’s a constant work which we somehow take for granted. All I can say is that couples will love this play,” he tells us.
God of Carnage centres on two parents; in a public park – one couple’s son injured the other couple’s son. Although the parents decide to have a polite conversation, as the night wears on, they act more like children with everything getting cluttered. Yasmina Reza is less of a writer than she is a phenomenon in culture. Her most well-known pieces have filled the West End for five years and are still selling out. The playwright’s comedy Art, about three male friends who argue after one of them spends £20,000 on a white canvas, has been translated into 35 languages and has ranked in close to £200 million globally, garnering well-deserved accolades. “Counting four shows online, this is the fifth time we are working on God of Carnage. While adapting to the stage, we were still surprised by many elements which were challenging for actors. The material still feels fresh and new. That’s how good a writer she is. You don’t find one weak point in anything. We tried to edit the script to limit the overall time of the play but couldn’t — it is that precise and strong, a true mark of a great writer,” Sandeep shares.
Sandeep harbours an experience of five years in theatre direction and God of Carnage, the impending show will mark Storyboard Productions’ 5th anniversary. Forming an ensemble with city-based thespian Jonas David in 2014, the two dabbled in short films for a while and took a plunge into theatre in 2018. Jonas also undertook the central character in The Pillowman as Katurian and will be seen as Alan Raleigh in God of Carnage. Sandeep tells us, “I didn’t want to wait for anyone to give me an opportunity to work. Most importantly, this is also to create a platform for many other artistes who are looking to showcase their talent.”
On March 25, 2008, the Gielgud Theatre in London’s West End hosted the UK premiere of the play’s English translation by British playwright Christopher Hampton. It won the Olivier Award for the year’s Best New Play and received outstanding tributes from art critics. In this light, Sandeep is not revising the original piece. “We are not changing anything from the translated version. The play is set in America with two middle-aged couples meeting to speak about an incident with their sons. The translation is great and we don’t think any changes are necessary,” he shares. The whole play runs in one set-up of Michael and Veronica Novak’s room without any transition. “And no lights off,” he adds. Jonas David, Preksha Trivedi, Kajol Dubey and Abhinav Rastogi join the cast.
On February 11 and 12 at Rangbhoomi Spaces and Events in Gachibowli.
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Twitter: @PaulChokita