Dine-in theatre: Supper theatre is becoming the order day

The style of theatrical presentation in the city is seeing a dramatic makeover with short plays and supper theatres becoming the order of the day. Even as Coimbatore was inducted into unscripted and interactive plays by the Coimbatore Arts and Theatre Society (CATS) in July, the Coimbatore Book Club and Theatre Group (CBCTG) is now working towards popularising the ‘dinner and a show’ type of theatre with their showcase next week. “Apart from the production costs and running time, full-length plays involve long drawn rehearsals; sometimes that go on for over two months,” shares Monisha Mathur, a member of CBCTG. The drama and dinner evening at The French Door will include two short plays — Blind Destiny and 3 Fat Women of Nilgiris, with a running time of just over 45 minutes and will be directed by the 51-year-old who has been part of the city’s theatre scene since 2006.

Blind Destiny, a 30-minute play scripted by CBCTG member, Sapna Umamahewar, deals with the life of an ex-army man who struggles to come to terms with reality following a traumatic experience and “is primarily directed by Shashi Ghulati, one of the founding members of the troupe,” she says. While the set and costumes are minimal, Monisha tells us that the idea was initially met with a lacklustre response. “Set design has always been an integral part of a production, but supper theatre demands a compact version of the same.”

The second play — 3 Fat Women of Nilgiris, an adaptation of Somerset Maugham’s short story, The three women of Antibes, will make use of a similar set. Written by 92-year-old Dinoo Hataria, the 20-minute sketch is a sardonic tale about food and friends in a contemporary setting. Following the plays, expect to find a five-course buffet meal prepared by chef Shreeya Adka. Giving us a peek of the meal  The 23-year-old tells us that a whole new range of vegetarian specials are on the menu. “The dinner will be an amalgamation of authentic European and French cuisine and will translate into the new dishes on our revamped menu in the next few months,” shares Shreeya.

Rs 650 inclusive of dinner. On September 12. At The French Door. 6.30 pm onwards. Details: 7094454044