What happens when a bone falls inside the premises of a corporate housing society? A play reveals the inside story prachi sibal prachi. sibal@ mid- day. com Faezeh Jalali, actor and director, spent her early years living in a bungalow in Mazagaon. Somewhere along the way, a corporate housing came up next door. The society was vegetarian and was flanked by bungalows on either side that belonged to those with non- vegetarian food habits. While there may have been the occasional case of a bone being dropped by a bird, it did not lead to confrontation. It wasnu2019t something Jalali thought about until she was reminded of it during a family conversation.
It was a small incident, but she knew it could trigger a series of events. Itu2019s the premise for her new play, Bone of Contention in Cosmopolitan CHS. Clever farce and humour are Jalaliu2019s chosen forms and it reflects in the name of the society, Cosmopolitan.
It is also how she prefers to address issues of critical importance. u201c I want people to laugh, reflect, not be offended and get on the back foot,u201d she says.
She began work on the script early last year, initially for a single- act school production.
It was in September last year that work on the full- fledged play began, and it subsequently premiered at the Prithvi Festival in November.
It has an 18- member ensemble cast and they appear on stage together in a scene where the societyu2019s general body meeting is in progress.
The central characters belong to four unconventional families from different religions u2014 a Hindu family comprising men from three generations, a Christian family with a single mother and two children, two old Parsi women who may have been a couple and a Muslim family with a father, mother and a rebellious daughter. Kalpana, the househelp is the voice of reason and the one who speaks to the audience directly.
u201c The housing society has more people but we tell the story through these four families. Thereu2019s also an unmarried Punjabi couple that appears in between.
Basically, each [ familial] structure is non- traditional,u201d says Jalali.
When the incident occurs, it exposes deep- seated prejudices the residents have against each other. u201c The characters are fighting over traditional values and religion while none of them conform to it. We all want to live traditional lives but are breaking tradition in some way,u201d Jalali says about the choice of these unconventional setups.
On the other hand, the play uses its share of familiar stereotypes to keep to its intended farcical tone. u201c People identify stereotypes. It is where the familiarity and farce come from,u201d says Jalali.
How did she choose to deal with the sensitive subject especially in the current political climate? Jalali is quick in saying, u201c While working with such material, you know that there is a line which if you cross, it can get unpleasant.
It was something that we took into account with every improvisation; the entire group would weigh in and take a call,u201d she says also admitting that the show has seen constant evolution based on audience reactions since its premiere.
ON February 16, 4.30 pm and 7.30 pm AT Experimental Theatre, NCPA, Nariman Point.
CALL 66223724 LOG ON TO bookmyshow. com co st R 600 onwards theatre u2018 The characters are fighting over traditional values and religion while none of them conform to itu2019 Faezeh Jalali ( Above and below) scenes from the play Conflict and the cosmopolitan It ( the play) has an 18- member ensemble cast and they appear on stage together in a scene where the societyu2019s general body meeting is in progress.
