This weekend, one of Enid Blyton's most popular mysteries premieres on the Mumbai stage, as Larry, Daisy, Pip, Bets, Fatty and their dog Buster turn detectives
This weekend, one of Enid Blyton's most popular mysteries premieres on the Mumbai stage, as Larry, Daisy, Pip, Bets, Fatty and their dog Buster turn detectives
This one has all the ingredients of a winning entertainer: a robbery, school kids turning detectives, and the decision to have theatre actor Hussain Dalal play the character of Buster, the dog, rather than allow a canine on stage. The latest whodunnit to hit Mumbai is an Enid Blyton classic where the Five Find-Outers (Larry, Daisy, Pip, Bets, Fatty and their dog Buster) solve The Mystery of the Pantomime Cat. Akvarious Productions has straddled between serious theatrical fare and kiddy specials like the recent Shahenshah of Azeemo and A Special Bond.
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This latest offering is a children's musical. But Akarsh Khurana, who has been spearheading the group for over a decade, says working on this play has been a completely different experience. "Unlike A Special Bond, where we had made the text contemporary, here, we have been loyal to the script because we want audiences to experience the old-world charm of the literature we grew up reading. Ninety per cent of the dialogues are straight from the book," says Akarsh, a huge fan of the Five Find-Outers.
The play follows the Five Find-Outers and Buster as they try to get back at Mr Goon, the village policeman who has a bone to pick with the kids. But the story soon turns into a classic whodunit with the five getting embroiled in a real mystery when the safe of a local theatre is broken into, and all the actors turn into suspects.
With so many suspects, this one turns out to be the most difficult case they've ever solved. "We chose this book because it's based around a theatre and that gives us more scope to make it visually interesting," says Akarsh, who has adapted the play for stage.
With this play, the third member of the Khurana family makes her theatre debut as director. For years Meera Khurana has seen her husband, Akash Khurana (founder of the group) and son Akarsh take on different roles. So, it has felt a little odd to step out of their shadow. But she says her experience as the head of the pre-primary section at Arya Vidya Mandir School will help her connect with her young audience instantly. "We are hoping to tell audiences that gadget-dependent kids are boring. Look at how the Five Find-Outers spend their vacation solving mysteries and being around nature, rather than vegetating before a computer or gaming console. Kids need to have the time to daydream," she says.
At Prithvi Theatre, Janki Kutir, Juhu Church Road, Vile Parle (W).
On July 18, 19 at 11 am
call 26149546
Tickets Rs 150
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