Stagecraft Theatre experiments with a comedy-thriller for the first time with an adaptation of Marcel Achard's L'IDIOTE...
June 2, 2016 5:27:54 PM IST MTG editorial
Stagecraft Theatre is a Nagpur-based theatre group founded by theatre director Vikash Khurana. As part of the National Centre for the Performing Arts' (NCPA) Cheer Festival, the group is putting up an adaptation of French playwright Marcel Achard's celebrated comedy-thriller, L'IDIOTE.
The play is about a maid who works in an affluent family, and is found unconscious with a gun in her hand alongside her dead lover. She is brought to trial under the law, only to reveal that there are more secrets brushed under the carpet than what the naked eye can see.
Having never experimented with the genre of comedy-thrillers, director Vikash Khurana explains that one of the challenges in directing the play was to cutting it down from a two-and-a-half-hour long production to a taut 80 minutes. "We had to cut it down in a way ensuring that the action was quick paced and the gags and comedy tracks ran parallel to the twists and turns of the plot while simultaneously retaining the essence, witticism and humour of the original story," he adds.
Onkar Ghare has adapted the play to suit an Indian setting, and to make it relatable to the audience. Barring a few adjustments in the layout of the story and dialogues, the play retains the original plot line. Khurana says he has "tweaked some of the gags and repartees to suit current Indian topics and situations."
A SHOT IN THE DARK will be staged at the Experimental Theatre, NCPA on 5th June at 6 pm.
Mumbai Theatre Guide takes no responsibility for change in schedule.