English Theatre in Chennai Comes of Age

"Alternate" entertainment comes to Chennai , thankfully at a point when movies & pubbing seemed to be the only sources of entertainment in the city. English theatre finally comes of age in Chennai and credits for the same duly goes to the new breed of theatre buffs who have taken the city by storm. What's suprising is that English theatre is being lapped up by Chennaivasis with intense fervour and gusto. Not that there is a mass following but every show is running to packed houses. Which in itself is an encouraging sign.

The latest play which has sparked this blog is the Spoof-it double whammy plays from LTS (Loyola Theatre Society that is) oldtimer Michael Muthu. It was a spoofy dramatisation of two famous classics - RL Stevenson's Treasure Island and Bard of Avon's Hamlet.

Hilarious is an understatement. More than Treasure Island, it was the three member enactment of Hamlet that was the clincher. Rip roaring .

The new trend that has emerged is the interactive style involving the audience which according to me started with Evam's adaptation of Woody Allen's Death. Actors emerging from the audience to add the necessary effect. In a step further, Mike Muthu had couple of members of the audience pulled onto the stage to act which aded to the humour. Not to forget, dividing the whole Sivagami Pethachi Auditorium crowd into three sections and making them render three different Shakespeareanesque dialogues, the best being 'Cut the crap Hamlet. My biological clock is ticking and I want babies now" by Ophelia. Good show Mike and his team of Boardwalkers who actually are people from different walks of life and not he boring pros.

Next week, its Class of '84 by Gerson da Cunha at Music Academy and followed by Evam's next play in Sep. Yeah the whole group of Evam was sitting in a row just behind me. Good to know that profesional rivalry has not prevented them from promoting theatre in the city.