Tamil play 'Singapore Pannaiyar Bommai', set to be staged this weekend in Chennai, is a comical exploration of human nature with a mysterious plot

Chennai is set t o witness a captivating theatrical journey this weekend as Singapore Pannaiyar Bommai (SPB) unfolds its strange tale. This Tamil play promises a rollercoaster ride of emotions, served with mystery and seasoned with generous doses of humour.

At the heart of SPB lies a simple premise: two sisters, one of whom is to marry shortly, embark on a nocturnal adventure with an old friend. The night, however, has other plans. As the plot thickens, with unexpected twists being revealed comically, the characters find themselves redefining relationships

Director and playwright Vedarun Rajkumar shares how the cast has brought these characters that were imagined on the page, to life. “One of the things we did as part of rehearsals is, fleshing out the details of the characters. The actors built backstories for these characters and made them three-dimensional, ” Vedarun shares.

Mentioning that the actors have infused characters with life beyond the script, he highlights a specific example from behind the stage. “The character performing the rituals later into the night, Vicky, played by Paramesh, tried to understand how hippies would behave and so on, and then brought about a body language for the character based on that. He wanted the character to be a left-handed person. Such efforts by the actors enhanced the written material of the play,” the director added

Navaneeth, who portrays Nallathambi, the old acquaintance the sisters reunite with, also shares his experience. Describing his character as a “happy-go-lucky fellow”, he tells us how Nallathambi stands out, “I had to speak in a different Tamil accent for this character. It was challenging, yet interesting, to get the nuances of the accent right, as I believe this provided an additional layer of authenticity.” Sharing the stage for the second time with the SPB cast consisting of Harini as Vennila Paramesh, Rajbarath as Michael, Sanchita as Meena , and Subhiksha as Soundarya, Navaneeth says that thanks to the freedom and space given by Vedarun, the cast was able to express freely have and evolved from strangers to becoming a supportive family

As the team prepares for SPB to premiere this weekend, we learn from Vedarun that it is more than just a comedy. A thought-provoking exploration of human nature, the play delves into the impact of core memories on an adult’s day-to-day life, highlighting the consequences of avoiding difficult conversations and presenting them in a comedy-of-error format.

Tickets at INR 350.

August 11, 4.40 pm & 7.30 pm.

At Medai –The Stage, Alwarpet.