ANSH THEATRE GROUP'S THE NUMBER YOU ARE CALLING Play Review

This year Prithvi House hosted THE NUMBER YOU'RE CALLING or better put 'Tumhijya number var'- the only Marathi play to be staged at the Prithvi Theatre Festival 2018. Being an Ansh production, one presumes it was guided by Makarand Deshpande, who helms the theatre group.

This story of a never ending phone call as a metaphor of a breakdown in a couple's relationship is presented in the form of a monologue written by Amogh Phadke, and performed by Ajay Kamble. The play opens with a set design of a typical match box size home in Mumbai. Swanand Deshmukh (Ajay Kamble) who looks to be around 30 years old, is sitting alone in his house, desperately trying to reach his wife Priya Deshmukh. Later, he realises through her WhatsApp voice note that she has left him and the home, never to return.

The causes of the familial crisis of a wife leaving all of a sudden remains not really mysterious but repeats the clichéd arguments and misunderstandings of this five-year old marriage. Soon the play turns into a treasure hunt game created by Priya reminiscent of the novel Gone Girl, which has also been made into a film.

Also, if one is familiar with the plays by Ansh, they will find two recurring themes. Firstly, the troubled relationship between the father (though dead) and the son, and the aura of something paranormal in the house. One can't help but notice this reoccurrence in various other works of Ansh.

Ajay Kamble's performance offers no redemption as the writing is weak. Even the punch lines are ineffective and the humour irrelevant. The play isn't fleshed well enough. Perhaps it may have been a good concept if written differently. However, in this case the husband and wife are both stereotyped into a stereotypical marriage, further fuelled with a stereotypical break-up. The play is a complete cliché and lacks rigour and insight.

*Dr. Omkar Bhatkar teaches at the Department of Mass Media Studies at St. Andrews College. He runs the eclectic St Andrew's Centre For Philosophy and Performing Arts. He is also a theatre director, poet and painter.