If you haven't had enough of courtroom jargon thrown at you in wake of the 26/11 trial, the fictional Caine Mutiny Court Martial promises to add its own share of drama to proceedings

Call it timing but just as the court cases surrounding the 26/11 carnage draws to a close, another begins at the Experimental Theatre, NCPA.

Motley Production revives its courtroom drama, The Caine Mutiny Court Martial, after a gap of nearly 15 years.
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The play, one of the group's most acclaimed productions, was first performed in December 1990 and was revived last year as part of their 30-year celebrations.

The Caine Mutiny Court Martial boasts of a cast comprising 15 of the best male actors in the country

The revival production will feature younger members from this theatre group. The all-male cast includes students from director Naseeruddin Shah's acting class held at a private film-training institute.

Producer Jairaj Patil candidly tells us that the main reason for reviving The Caine Mutiny Court Martial is its large cast.
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"Naseer bhai was training these young, talented actors and wanted to work with them in a play.

This was the only script where we could have accommodated such a large number so we decided to revive the play," he says.

A large group of actors is a boon for Patil because the actors help out with music, sets and backstage work too. The only disadvantage, Patil points out, is that they get fewer invitations to travel with the production.
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"It's a 15-member cast so organisers find it difficult to pay for their accommodation, food and other expenses."
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Theatre-lovers in Mumbai should be happy though, because they get to watch the play more often as a result.

About the play

The Caine Mutiny Court Martial, written by Herman Wouk, is set in post-World War II San Francisco, where Steve Maryk, second-in-command on USS Caine, a US Navy minesweeper in the Pacific, is being tried for mutiny against Lt Commander Philip Francis Queeg.

The play covers the prosecution, defence and the aftermath of the judgement through the two acts. Like jurors at a trial, the audience knows only what various witnesses speak of the events on the Caine.