Rohan Joshi and Vaishali Bisht in the play
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Some things stand the test of time, like Faraz Khan’s adaptation of Dario Fo’s The Open Couple. The play with theatre personality Vaishali Bisht playing the protagonist, Antonia, had Anuj Gurwara as the ‘Man’ when it was first staged in Hyderabad in 2014. The play, which takes a satirical look at marriage and relationships, returns this weekend, featuring Vaishali and Rohan Joshi.
Wit and humour
Faraz Khan
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
“We were missing the laughter,” says Faraaz, on reasons to revive the play after seven years. The Italian play written by Dario Fo and his wife, Franca Rame, and translated into English by Stuart Hood, looks at the complexities of modern-day relationships.
Vaishali Bisht as Antonia
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
Faraaz was not keen on bringing it back until this year when his company La Compagnie Dramatique got selected for Manch, an initiative by Bengaluru-based Bhasha Centre that facilitates a production company to stage nearly 25 shows of a play in a year to understand the highs and lows in terms of the performances and the economics.
Besides Anuj, Bhavin Patel also played the Man for a few shows in 2017. “We knew the production company would be busy with performances every six weeks at different places, so we double cast,” says Faraaz. While Vaishali retains the role of Antonia, Gaurav Sajjanhar (who acted in shows staged earlier in Mumbai) and Rohan plays the Man. “I was in my 30s when I had directed the play in 2014, and now in my 40s, it’s still humorous,” says Faraaz with a laugh and adds, “The play was a reminder that none of the joy has left.”
Performing to a home crowd
“I am on my fourth man,” quips Vaishali Bisht referring to the change in actors playing the Man. “Every one of them has brought out a different Antonia (Vaishali’s character) with a slightly different nuance. In terms of audiences too, the conversation around relationships has changed.” The theatre actor and director is having more fun this time as she is quite grounded in the character and gets to be more playful. She produced and acted in the play when it was staged in 2014. Are there any challenges in revisiting the part? “Conveying different variations of physicality,” she says.
Performing in Hyderabad, their home ground, creates a bit of pressure as their staging here got nominated for five META (Mahindra Excellence in Theatre Awards) in 2014. There are bound to be expectations. “We remain the only Hyderabad production that has have been nominated for the META.” The play involves audience interaction too. “My co-actors are different and so is the audience, their reactions and interactions.”
Scene from the play
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
The production staged in 2014 leaned heavily towards Commedia dell’art (a 15th century Italian theatrical form) where the scenes appear to be a ‘controlled accident,’ a chaos, but with a design element to it. The play has since evolved and the act looks more like choreography.
New medium
Compared to Vaishali and Faraaz Khan, Rohan Joshi who plays the ‘Man’ is new to the world of theatre. “Every day is a new learning experience for me,” says the comedian. “One gets to learn new rules as the medium completely changes. I am excited to be on board and having a lot of a fun.”
Bhasha Centre presents ‘The Open Couple’ by Dario Fo, at Rangbhoomi Spaces & Events on September 26, 27 and 28 at 8 pm; Tickets: insider.in
Published – September 25, 2024 04:32 pm IST
