Catch a show that blends poets and stand-up comics seamlessly

Kajol Srinivasan

Their identity as brown women, feminism, ageism, understanding the importance of mental health and the innate feeling of being the "other" are some of the things that brought writer and poet Smita Sahay and stand-up comedian Kajol Srinivasan together. So, while a jugalbandi between poetry and comedy might seem unusual at the outset, for them, it was only a matter of time before it materialised. The result was 2 Brown Bards, an event scheduled for this Sunday wherein the spoken word will meet stand-up comedy.

"Both our pieces need to integrate seamlessly on stage. But we had to be careful not to overdo that because Kajol has her own voice and I have my own. We thought of doing this together because we felt that the impact will be greater, with respect to the issues we are trying to address," shares Sahay.

Smita Sahay

Speaking about what it was like to work with a comedian, she adds, "I have been at the helm of things before, so this wasn't absolutely unfamiliar. For art to thrive, artistes need to collaborate."

She also says, "People perceive poetry to be erudite, but that's not always true because we do think in poetic ways whether we accept it or not. So, I wanted to combine it with something more accessible, like stand-up."

For Srinivasan, an up-and-coming artiste and winner of the Canvas Laugh Club Open Mic (2017), the project helped tackle the restrictions that come with stand-up comedy. "When I perform alone, I have to first introduce a set-up and then move on to the funny bit. With Smita, she builds the set-up and I can go directly for the punch line. So, it's like I can really expand the boundaries, in the sense that I can tackle topics that are much more serious."

"This is very new and I hope that people will come with an open mind," she adds, and Sahay echoes this while signing off. "Right now, I am nervous. But I do hope that people approach this with an open mind because we are trying to address stereotypes here," she says, stressing on how poetry is not always pedantic and that comedy can hinge around serious issues, too.
ON: July 8, 8.30 pm
AT: ER2 Academy, Shastri Nagar, Andheri West.
LOG ON TO: insider.in
ENTRY: Rs 250

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