ZINGA ZINGA ROSES, a sci-fi Musical, is not only great for children but equally entertaining for adults, with its imaginative story-telling and fine performances. Written and directed by Trishla Patel, the play tells the story of a little boy named Zinga (Ashok Deb) who lives on a planet called Sesor. Sesor has been invaded by the evil Yago, who is in search of the immortal Rose that belongs to the planet. Zinga, King Sora's (Adar Malik) son, in the company of his robot Pi (Sukant), manages to take away the rose to its safety. Thus begins the hunt for Zinga and the rose. As Zinga and Pi go through adventures on their way, time ticks away, and Sesor begins to lose its beauty and colour. The rose must return to Sesor in order for the planet to survive. The story is based on the timeless idea that good triumphs evil.
The play opens with two children listening attentively to a story that their grandmother is narrating. Thereafter, ensues a riot of colourful events charged with live music, boundless movement and exuberant performances. There's planet Sesor and there's also planet Earth. A series of vignettes alternate between the two planets and later characters from both the worlds come together.
The rose petals get scattered, King Sora is captured by Yago, Zinga goes missing and is fighting for life, and Yago is nearing his victory over Sesor. But, it's not the end. The start to finish experience is made enjoyable by the live music and songs. Actors interact with the audience, the light design is excellent and the animated projections by Anuj Deshpande serve well to provide the appropriate background scenery. A whirling Chinese dragon and the slow motion effect under flickering lights awed the audience. A model galaxy of planets hanging from top adds to the extravaganza.
Every accessible space on the stage is used by the actors and it is a display of sheer energy. The dialogues are punctuated with unexpected puns from popular Bollywood films and television commercials. For instance, Yago's stink effect, a take on the Axe Effect commercial had the audiences rolling in laughter. All the actors, in their interesting costumes (designed by Priyanka Basu), were very good. The characters of Zinga (Ashok Deb) and Pi (Sukant) are played well. Neil Bhoopalam plays the evil Yago and with his perfect diction and acting, the actor was flawless. Writer-director Trishla Patel has written well and has an eye for detail.
Tpot Productions' first children's play, conceptualized for children between the age group of 7 to 12, can be enjoyed by adults as well. Packed with entertaining punch, ZINGA ZINGA ROSES is a fantastically enjoyable play that happens where the real and the ordinary mingle with fantasy and the extraordinary. This one is not to be missed.
*Jigna Padhiar is a freelance arts and culture writer based in Mumbai. She is currently working with the India Foundation for the Arts as their Mumbai representative. She has a degree in Art History and Aesthetics. Previously she has worked with English dailies as an arts' correspondent.
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