Poetry is the new comedy

Mirza Ghalib is known as one of the doyens of Urdu literature. But what if he comes down to New Delhi in the year 2014 and realises that people associate him with singer Jagjit Singh, as the latter has made his poems eponymous through his ghazals.

Or actor Naseeruddin Shah who essayed his role in a tele-series screened eons ago on Doordarshan? The result is a 120-minute laugh riot titled Ghalib in New Delhi where the Urdu poet seeks the help of an advertising agency to make his presence felt in popular culture. This is one of the three plays that Delhi-based theatre company Pierrot's Troupe will stage as part of its Class n Comedy Theatre Festival in the city from February 28.

Stills from plays KL Saigal (above) and Big B (top), which will be staged as part of the festival

The three-day festival will open with Big B. The play is an acronym for Bade Bhaisahab, a short story penned by Munshi Premchand. Set in the 1930s, it revolves around two Hindi-speaking brothers - Kamta Prasad and Samta Prasad - who attempt to communicate with each other only in English after they learn the language. What follows is a hilarious series of incidents wherein the duo thinks they are speaking impeccable English when they are just making a mockery of the language.

The second day of the festival will give viewers a sneak peek into the life of popular actor-singer KL Saigal who started off as a struggler in Kolkata and later became a superstar in Mumbai. M Sayeed Alam, founder of Pierrot's Troupe who has directed all the three plays, says, "The festival attempts to show Mirza Ghalib and KL Saigal in a different light."

When: From February 28-March 2
Where: Rangsharda Auditorium, Bandra Reclamation, Bandra West
For bookings: Log on to www.bookmyshow.com