Attend this comical play for children at Prithvi Theatre on August 19

Cast of the Go With The Flow during a previous performance

Water scarcity is a real and present concern that plagues the entire planet. This is the reality of modern times. And hence, conserving water today, and each day is a necessity, to ensure that there's water for the children of the future. But how does one explain this grim reality to young minds without sounding preachy? The answer is simple - dramatise it, add a few songs to it, and a dash of mythical creatures, and voila, there's a show!

Go With The Flow, a play for children, directed by Adhaar Khurana, is set in a dystopian time, where the rivers have dried up, the government is rationing water and the water mafia goes unchecked. "The play deals with a serious topic, but there are a lot of comic elements in it. Like the water mafia is actually a group of children!" the director shares, adding, "These hustlers are a fun group of kids who work for a boss and keep the citizens on their toes."

In the story, these little water pirates steal water from pipelines and rivers, and sell it at higher rates; they engage in all sorts of jugaad, as times are tough and stakes are high, until a mysterious girl shows up. This girl tells tales of a faraway land that's on the other side of the main river. "This mythical character doesn't look or talk like she is from around here and is extremely funny. She speaks only in rhymes," explains Khurana.

Produced by Akvarious Productions, this play has a huge entertainment element too. There are five songs and dances. "We didn't want to make this story too moralising, and so brought in music to show the journey of the kids as they travel to the faraway mountains where there's an abundance of water and greenery," the director shares. The songs are composed by Rajat Tiwari and Tushar Kadam who are also on stage for live performances, while Shivani Mistry choreographed the dance moves.

Interestingly, the play's 22-member crew doesn't have any child actors. In an open audition for this play, 200 actors were auditioned, 60 were shortlisted and 22 were finalised. "We wanted actors who were versatile enough to play multiple characters and manage to find them. These are actors from across the country," Khurana explains.

Sarthak Kakar, Adhaar Khurana and Siddharth Kumar

The script was written in English by Siddharth Kumar for a school play a few years ago, which has now been adapted for this play by Sarthak Kakar. "I wanted to tell the children about water woes, but in a different and fantastical way. So I created this magical land and character that would appeal to young minds," explains Kumar. Kakar spent a month adapting the script in Hindi and English, so that this important message of water conservation reaches as many people as possible. He read up several news articles to update himself about the water issues around the world.

"When I was writing the dialogues, I ensured that they sounded hilarious and that there was some way to make it sound fun, as the reality is quite gloomy," shares Kakar, adding "I had to maintain a fine balance between keeping it simple, amusing but also not preachy. All in all it's a lot of comedy with the message of water conservation."

On: August 19; 5 pm and 8 pm
At: Prithvi Theatre, 20 Janki Kutir, Juhu Church Road, Juhu, Vile Parle West.
Log on to: in.bookmyshow.com
Cost: Rs 400