French twist: V Balakrishnan from Theatre Nisha speaks about his latest venture

‘Sensual, bloody and drunk,’ that’s how V Balakrishnan, founder  Theatre Nisha, likes to describe his next directorial project, Romeo and Jeannette. 

Originally written by French dramatist Jean Anouilh, the play was later translated into English by Miriam John. “It resonates with everyone who has fallen in love and knows that love can happen anytime with anyone. It is a rebellious play, and rebels and theatre are very old pals,” says the alumnus of National School of Drama, Delhi.

Explaining the plot, he adds, “It is a story of how two people, who meet by fate, launch into a journey that is about honesty and not about following the safe path or the right path.” Speaking about the philosophy behind it, Balakrishnan says, “As vacuous as it may seem in society’s eyes, sometimes the heart wins over rationality, and sometimes it is the best way.” When asked about the difference between the original Shakespearean work and Anouilh’s depiction, he says, “Jean Anouilh wrote this play inspired by the tragic tale of Romeo and Juliet. The action takes place in France in the 20th century. In terms of its plot, the play differs a lot from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.”

The 90-minute play will feature V Balakrishnan (Frederic), Shakthi Ramani/Charu-arya (Julia), Meera Sitaraman/Aparna Kumar (Lucien), Roshini Sridhar (Jeannette), Hemalatha Swaminathan (The mother), Niranjan Madhavan (The Father) and Aparna Kumar/Meera Sitaraman (Postman).

At Alliance Française. Till August 6. 3 pm & 7 pm. Entry free. Details: 28279803