Performance to catch in Mumbai: Criminal mind

Back in the early 1980s, a young Italian man landed in a psychiatric prison for brutally stabbing his mother and father. He escaped only to leave such a gruesome trail of crimes that by the time he was 24, he was dubbed the most wanted man in France, Italy and Switzerland. The chilling story of Roberto Succo has fascinated many, including noted French playwright Bernard-Marie Koltès whose final play, Roberto Zucco, was inspired by his life.

When Mumbai-based theatre director Omkar Bhatkar came across Koltès's work, he felt it was important to stage a play of this kind in the city. "I found his writing profound and different. But he is unfortunately not a well-known playwright in India," he says.

Bhatkar, who has directed the play translated by Martin Crimp, feels the script offers a lot of scope for interpretation. "I have treated it more as a philosophical romantic adventure than a psychological thriller," he adds. About the unique writing style, he tells us that though there are 30 characters in the play, all of them except Succo have generic names. "The way I see it, Succo is almost like a post-modern hero."

The play is the result of a collaboration between Alliance Française de Bombay and St Andrew's Centre for Philosophy & Performing Arts, wherein translated readings/performances of a French play are presented every month.

ON November 19 and 21, 6.30 pm
AT St. Andrews Centre for Philosophy & Performing Art, St Andrew's College, Bandra West
LOG ON TO bookmyshow.com
Entry Rs 250 onwards

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