'I get to slap Alyque on stage!'

Sabira Merchant reveals her favourite moment in the new play, The Game. Along with Alyque Padamsee, the veteran actor plays out a poignant story through a game of cards

It's pretty evident that Alyque Padamsee and Sabira Merchant are having a great time working together. Just like her character Shireen Bamboat needles Alyque's character, Sali Pastakia, Sabira laughs how the best bit of the play is when she gets to slap Alyque. "It's great fun! I get to slap him on stage," she laughs.



Alyque responds to the statement like you'd expect him to, like a sport, "It's about time an actor gets to slap a director who has directed her in so many plays. Perhaps it's all that pent up energy."

If they can crack us with simple banter, we are waiting to see what they do when they go on stage this weekend in an adaptation of DL Coburn's The Gin Game, by Bachi Karkaria. The play centres around the lives of an elderly Parsi people who pass the time playing rummy on the porch of Pallonjee Nursing Home.

"One might live a happy or sad life, suffer health problems or go through a divorce. The problems each one faces are different, but getting old is inevitable for everyone. The play hits the spot because it's real," says Sabira. Alyque, on the other hand, was so impressed with the character he plays that he decided to get back to acting after two decades. "I can tell you, this a role of a lifetime."

The two veterans have been rehearsing for The Game for three months. Even though it's just a two-character play, it's not an easy one to pull off. The card moves are their only cue, and remembering the last move and the corresponding dialogue is far from easy. "Oh! It drives me bananas," Sabira exclaims, "essentially, you hold the cards in your hand throughout but the cues are different all along." Alyque gives all the credit to Sabira on this one, saying he has managed to remember the dialogues, thanks to his co-actor.

On Today at 7.30 pm at St Andrews Auditorium, Bandra (W)
On August 22 at 6.30 pm At Tata Theatre, NCPA, Nariman Point.
Call 39895050 / 66223724 / 22824567