CHENNAI: After 24 years, over 100 productions and 500 plus performances, Masquerade — The performance group, a city-based English theatre group is all set to launch their new production — an adaptation of From Sunset to Sunrise (Surya Ki Antim Kiran Se Pehli Kiran Tak original in Hindi), a landmark play in Indian modern theatre by famous playwright Surendra Verma. We caught up with the group’s artistic director Krishna Kumar S (KK) to get a peek into the play.
“The play has been out there for close to 30 years. I have been wanting to direct it for a long time but, I didn’t think of it for the last 10 years. Recently, while I was doing research on something else, this play came as a cross reference and that’s how I decided to do it!” narrates KK.
He got permission from Surendra Verma and began putting the play together. “Unlike western playwrights, Indian playwrights are very accessible. In fact they are happy to see their work reach the public,” he says. The play, written in 1972, searches, questions and probes values and attitudes towards marriage, sex, and gender.
The story happens in the Kingdom of Malla, set in the Himalayan foothills, during the Pali Buddhist period. “The king is married to his spouse Sheelavati for five years without children. It isn’t a question of not having a child, but about not having an heir to protect the kingdom,” he shares. With news that enemy forces from the other kingdoms are plotting to invade a heirless kingdom, the council of ministers invoke the custom of Niyoga — as practised in Buddhist and pre-Buddhist Indian societies. “The play deals with how the politics of the whole discourse changes overnight.
It’s a challenging concept to put across, especially when there are gender-stereotypical mindsets,” he explains. The casting process for the play took about a month, but the experience has been rewarding, says KK. “Except for one or two from the cast, everyone else has been part of the group for more than four to five years. So, our chemistry is good, we know the need and requirement. We had reading sessions before we started rehearsals. In fact, every character has a main actor and an understudy,” he shares.
So, what’s his favourite part of the play? “It’s about a monarch who has responsibilities and compromises to make on the personal front, for the people. So, the interweaving of politics and things that are personal make it interesting,” he says.
After staging this play, the group plans to go back to shows and revive older productions. “We want to get back to working with more children and conduct workshops. We are also planning to stage 4.48 Psychosis by Sarah Kane,” he adds.
‘From Sunset to Sunrise’ will be staged this weekend at Spaces, Besant Nagar from 7:15 pm onwards. For details, call: 9884029865