The Game

So I went to attend a play The Game starring Alyque Padamsee and Sabira Merchant. Expectations were high considering the fact that both were veteran parsi theatre personalities. Add to it the fact that the story was being done by Sam Kerawala. Story too, the play seemed really interesting. Two old people coming together and playing Rummy in an old age home. Through the game's progress, they discuss each other's life and get to know each other on a deeper level. If you want to read the play, read The Gin Game by D. L. Coburn.

                       The old guy, Fali Pistakia is impatient at times never sparing an opportunity to utter profanities. The old women, Shireen Bamboat,  is equally impatient with people who use profanities. Their conversations are funny and vivid. She lovingly calls him Fali while he uses Shireen. Both of them shift to last name when they want to sound rude or turn businesslike. Alyque uses Bamboat in several ways (must be because of acting several times.) One thing which I liked (and is true for many other plays as well) is that there is a an aspect of improvisation and spontaneity. The play was full of comments on contemporary issues. The snide comment on Commonwealth Games when things were falling apart was too good. Ending, however, could have been better. I'm a happy endings kind of a guy. Unless there is a strong reason to, one should avoid open ended plot endings. This one had a sad ending. I felt really bad for Fali when he couldn't even get a dance out of Shireen. Even Frank Sinatra couldn't woo Shireen into dancing "as strangers in the night" :D

                      The play was good and I was lucky to get a free pass and got to sit right in the front. Too bad I was stuck between two boring, not so sociable aunties. Usually, it gets boring when you go out and watch something alone. It's always good to have a someone by your side with whom you can joke or something. But this play was different. It was really immersive. Actually it's got to do with Alyque. He's got a charm to keep the audiences follow each and every word of his. Indian theatre scene today has a many parsi folk and it's good to have them all around. Today if there is someone doing the thinking act and, it's got to be the likes of Sam Kerawala, Alyque Padamsee, etc. Even the theatre scene in Chennai is becoming bigger with each passing quarter. Haven't been to the plays by guys from there but Hindu publicizes it madly. And who is going question Metroplus now! Only question is what about Hyderabad and the theatre scene here? Mohammed Ali Baig is doing a lot. He's doing a great job at bringing the right theatre people from across the country to stage their plays. That's why I say Hyderabad is becoming a great place for theatre watchers. Hope it inspires some local talent too...