What happens when a married couple is constantly butting heads, but they are unable to let go of each other? They resort to using a government service that helps the couple to break their relationship. This is the plot of the play, VISHWAMITRA MENAKE DANCE MAADODU ENNAKE, directed by Girish Rao. Vishwamitra and Menake are among the first to use the government scheme, which allows the couple to think back on their relationship and truly understand each other. In the middle of this drama is Gha, a witty and observant individual whose sharp comments on marriage, commitment, and relationships in the modern age shed light on the complexity of contemporary society.
Filled with humour, satire, mocking the bizarre nature of modern courting, the audience watched with bated breath as each scene spoke to us about the confusing nature of modern relationships. With dance, abundant use of old Kannada music, and plenty of supporting characters who help the main couple truly understand each other again, the play unravels through a series of confrontations and uncomfortable questions where the characters are forced to confront reality and accept the situation.
The sets were minimal but accurate, with tables and chairs being used to represent the government office; a TV, a fridge, and a washing machine to represent the married couple's home, and cutouts of trees and plants to represent the park. The lighting and the sound were employed well and enhanced the experience of watching the play. Performing in front of a packed audience, all the actors delivered strong performances, incorporating musical elements in their speech, often in a rhyming scheme that would have the audience in stitches.
The play was a biting satire, forcing the audience to think in between the laughter about the dynamics of relationships and married life. Each scene, whether comedic or dramatic, shared a truth about life and peeled back the layers of known routines of domestic life, revealing both its absurdities and its emotional truths. What started as a comedy play unfurled into a deep introspection on love, commitment, routine, and the delicate balance between intimacy and individuality.
Supriya Rajnish is a writer, aspiring actor, and theatre lover deeply interested in the power of narratives and the immersive world of the arts.
VISHWAMITRA MENAKE DANCE MADODHU ENAKE ASK MR YNK Play Schedule(s)
