Season 2 of the play Trident!ty returns with the ability to connect us across time with humour layering serious undertones

Set against the backdrop of three time periods — the 1950s, the 1980s and 2010
Season 2 of the play Trident!ty returns with the ability to connect us across time with humour layering serious undertones
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Where the past and present intermingle to create new dimensions of storytelling, Trident!ty returns for its second season. Staged by MISF!T (My Interest Stays Firmly in Theatre), the acting studio founded by Ratan Thakore Grant, this play continues to explore the intricate web of generational trauma and societal norms across three distinct eras. With a refurbished narrative and abstract visual design, this production has evolved significantly from its debut season, promising audiences a fresh perspective and deeper emotional resonance.

Co-directors Vishal Nayer and Venkatesan Vaidhyanathan describe how the play has evolved, highlighting the incorporation of dark comedy and layering. “This play is essentially divided into three stories, but there’s a fourth overarching narrative tying them together. After the first season, we identified specific elements that could transform how the story is perceived. For instance, we’ve added more dark comedy this time around, which not only enriches the storytelling but also balances the serious undertones of the play,” Vishal shares.

Set against the backdrop of three time periods — the 1950s, the 1980s and 2010 — Trident!ty’s first tale follows a young woman’s journey during the partition of India, tracing her transformation from a wide-eyed girl to a resilient survivor. The second centres on her son’s tumultuous marriage in the 1980s and the emotional scars it leaves on their daughter. The final chapter shifts to a corporate office in 2010, exploring workplace toxicity and the protagonist’s relentless pursuit of success in a maledominated world. All three plots converge in a compelling twist, seamlessly tied together by the overarching narrative.

However, season two introduces a fresh lens to these narratives. The directors have also paid meticulous attention to the play’s pacing and tone. “Last season, the office politics story was presented predominantly from the boss’s perspective. While the message resonated with many, it also triggered some of our female audience members, given the sensitivity of the topic. This season, we’ve reimagined the narrative to focus on the victim’s perspective, layering it with a more human touch. Besides the second story is the most humorous of the three promising a laugh riot and providing levity amidst the heavier themes,” Venkatesan reveals.

Lastly, the production boasts an abstract-meets-realism aesthetic that transports audiences seamlessly across decades. “Given the multiple time periods, we couldn’t settle on a single set design. Instead, one of our cast members, who is also an artist, has created a massive 30-foot abstract painting. This piece subtly incorporates elements from all three plays, serving as both a backdrop and a subliminal narrative device,” Venkatesan elucidates. The costumes, too, are designed to bridge eras — rooted in the 1950s but adaptable enough to fit into contemporary settings. Each tale has its own colour palette: white and red for the 1950s, white and brown for the 1980s and white and black for 2010.

₹300. February 1 & 2, 6.30 pm. At Alliance Française de Bangalore, Vasanth Nagar.

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