Hyderabad to witness a spontaneous play with ‘White Rabbit Red Rabbit’

Imagine staging a play without a director or rehearsals! Well, that’s exactly what Hyderabadis are set to witness for the first time with White Rabbit Red Rabbit, a bold experiment in spontaneous theatre. The most interesting thing about this play is that the actor receives the script on stage, and performs it while reading it. The act is as much of a surprise to the actor as it is to the audience. Excited? Hold on as we get you all the details.

As someone who likes to experiment and do things out of the box, Chandini Agarwal, the founder of Yogibear Collectives LLP, tells us that when she read this play, she instantly fell in love with it. “Unfortunately, as I had read it, it meant that I could never perform it because the script itself becomes a character in the play, as the actor performs it simultaneously.” The play is said to transverse languages very easily, which was what attracted Chandini.

Iranian playwright Nassim Soleimanpour wrote this play in unfavourable conditions. Born in a war-torn country, Nassim was forbidden to leave his home land. He used this time in isolation to write White Rabbit Red Rabbit. As a hope to fulfil his dreams vicariously, his main aim was to take this to as many countries as possible. “It is his way of travelling the world,” says Chandini.

Originally written in English, White Rabbit Red Rabbit has been translated into over 25 languages. With familiar language and an interactive format, the playwright attempts to connect with the audience easily.

“This play is a comedy, but very hard-hitting. It ends with the audience having to make a profound choice, which will shake them and make them reconsider their thinking pro cess,” says Chandini, adding, “Another very interesting element about the play is that it is an interactive play, which is also why everyone takes back something different.”

We also speak to Mubeen Khan, one of the actors, about his preparation, and he says, “I am not doing any kind of preparation; I want the spontaneity and the reaction, which is the USP of this play. I am observing the people around me and how they react to situations, to be able to connect with my audience bet ter.”

Chandini concludes by saying, “I have chosen some of the most proficient actors in Hyderabad to perform this play. They have the ability to tell you a story at any point in time and make you feel it.”

Tickets at INR 350. August 24, 25 & September 1, 6 pm (Hindi), 8 pm (English). At Yogibear Collectives, Begumpet.

 Story by Ananya Mehta