Rangshila to stage plays at Mac Ronells Compound on October 28

A still from the rehearsal of Overcoat

"I have not read all of Nikolai Gogol but his stories are universal and timeless, making them relevant for us here and now," says Kush Jobanputra of the theatre group Rangshila, who are staging plays inspired by stories of the Russian writer.

The two stories to be enacted are The Overcoat and The Nose. The Overcoat begins with a rumour spreading through a city that a dead man has been appearing on a bridge and dragging everyone's coat off their shoulders without regard to rank. One night, a passerby recognizes the dead man and things begin to unravel. "The play speaks about the duality of life, and its difficulties," Jobanputra says.

The other play Naak, based on Gogol's Nose is a satire on how we concentrate only on outer beauty and forget about a person's soul. In this story, the man wakes up one morning to find out that he has no nose.

Jobanputra says the stories they have chosen are satirical and contemporary. "During the process of selecting these stories at our workshop, we found these two to be particularly stunning. I hope that this show encourages more people to read Gogol," he says.

On: October 28, 7.30 pm
At: 5AA, Mac Ronells Compound, next to Candies, Bandra (W).
Entry: Rs 300
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