786, a new play that will be staged at NCPA next week, debunks some myths about superstitions
There are largely two kinds of people in the world — those who believe in superstitions and those who don’t. Interestingly enough, even among the superstitious lot, there are some who are slightly more cynical than the rest.
Superstition is a subjective concept, but does it hold true in today’s modern world that is largely dominated by science and technology? Mumbai-based theatre company Out of the Box productions, aims to explore this concept in their new play titled 786. The production, which premiered at Thespo last month, is a collection of three short stories — about a girl’s obsession with number seven, a bus stop’s superstition towards Bus number eight and a writer trying to finish his sixth story.
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Writer Abhishek Pattanaik, who is also acting in the play, says he got the idea while brainstorming with friends in a coffee shop. “I was fascinated by the concept of superstition and wanted to explore whether it is true or just a myth.
Rather than having a single story, I decided to pen three short stories to show the audience how different people are superstitious in their own ways. It took me four months to write the script. Being selected among the final five plays out of a total of 125 productions in Thespo gave us a huge impetus. Also, I wanted to play a character that I could easily identify with. So I essay the writer’s role in the third story.”
Director Murtuza Kutianawala, who has earlier helmed comedies such as Little Did They Know, The Gone Case and The Frying Pan, had a challenge up his sleeves when he had to direct this experimental production. “This is my first attempt at an experimental piece. Apart from having a hardbound script, the cast has been constantly improvising.
We will be performing at NCPA and Prithvi Theatre and will improvise based on audience’s reactions,” he says.
Apart from 786, Kutianawala and Pattanaik have also started work on their forthcoming production titled Two Adorable Losers that revolves around the relationship between a professor and his student, both of whom suffer from an inferiority complex. The play will premiere in June this year.
When: January 21, 8 pm onwards
Where: Experimental Theatre, NCPA
call: 66223737
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