30 Days In September play review , English play review

	Direction : Lilette Dubey Writer : Mahesh Dattani Cast : Amar Talwar, Neha Dubey, Joy Sengupta and Lillete Dubey
30 Days In September play review

Afsha Khan	Host-A-Performance \| Schedules

30 DAYS IN SEPTEMBER, written by Mahesh Dattani and directed by Lillette Dubey, has run for over 100 shows in India and abroad. The play was originally commissioned by Rahi, a Delhi based NGO supporting victims of incest. It has now become a great point of reference for those wishing to understand the 'hows' and 'whys' of child sexual abuse.

30 DAYS IN SEPTEMBER

With a story that's likely to stir feelings of familiarity among many, the play introduces us to Mira (Ira Dubey) a beautiful and intelligent young woman who can't help but promiscuously change sexual partners every 30 days. Her feelings for her mother (Lillete Dubey) are filled with resentment and anger. We soon learn that Mira was abused by her uncle (Amar Talwar) as a child and her mother, knowing what took place, had chosen to ignore her complaints either by stuffing food in her mouth or loosing herself in her devotion to God. Mira blames herself for everything, and after a particularly bad confrontation with her mother, we see that her mother blames her too. That Mira while being abused was "asking for it, enjoying it". Can Mira overcome the trauma of her past or understand why it eventually gave her "pleasure" from being "thrown about?"

The play is a mirror to the aspects of society we choose to be oblivious about. But if you think you're ready to open yourself to one of the most sensitive and traumatic experiences for a human being, this play has some great insights. You'll gaze into the mind of a victim of sexual abuse, feel the guilt they live with, and understand the confusion that hinders their relationships.

The actors in the play do an excellent job in stirring the audience's empathy and educating them at the same time. The star of the show was undoubtedly Amar Talwar, who plays the perverted uncle, among other small characters. It takes great courage and skill to play an antagonist with no path to redemption, something Talwar does with such brilliance that it sends chills down your spine. Ira Dubey as Mira makes sense of her role though falls short when compared to her mother (in real life and on stage), Lilette Dubey, who has outdone herself as an actor and director. Should the play run for another 100 shows, it will certainly be education enough to pre-empt our support, rather than brandishing it about only when a real-life case surfaces.

*Afsha Khan is a Mumbai based writer and blogger.

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30 Days In September play review

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