20 August,2021 08:14 AM IST | Mumbai | Gayathri Chandran
The play tells the story of two strangers who met in a COVID-19 ward.
After the first lockdown of 2020 forced theatre professionals to shut operations, cancel physical shows and move to the digital sphere, it took director and founder of Spin-A-Yarn productions Swati Sodhi a while to get comfortable with the new normal. For her, drama and theatre were rooted in physical proximity and intimacy with the audience, so it took considerable effort, like learning how to teach drama through Zoom tutorials and courses, to jump back into her practice. Within a few months, she started directorial work on her latest project, titled The Quarantine Princess, that will now be aired through the virtual medium Zoom this weekend, as part of a fundraiser for charity. "Last June, I began organising workshops with kids. We even tried to do some shows with them, but it wasn't very successful. Around this time I was approached by the writer of the play, Shivjeet Kullar, with the script, which I loved. The best part about it was that it was an entirely original play, that was written for the Zoom format," says Sodhi.
Written by Kullar, the story will follow the hospital journey of two people separated by a wall, in a COVID-19 ward in Mumbai, and will showcase themes of love and sacrifice in a 26-minute segment, promising a unique twist towards the end. It will be screened selectively to generate funds for an NGO called Samagraa, that works to support EWS (Economically Weaker Section) students in private schools with academic help, in Delhi. "I really relate to Samagraa's cause. This is my bit to help them, and I know the money will go to the right people. It's great to make money in our craft, but most of us aren't doing it for that. The field of performing arts doesn't bring in much income, but when it comes to an NGO, I believe that it's going towards a good cause," shares Sodhi. "When there's so much sadness and grief around, this also comes as a story of hope to take your mind off things for at least 30 minutes," she concludes.
On August 21 and 22, 7.30 pm onwards
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Cost Rs 299
