BENGALURU: Seven women from different walks of life will take to stage to recount experiences that may be specific to them but could be relatable to many other. Titled The Rainbow is Enough, the production on Monday will take place in multiple languages, including Hindi, Urdu and Tamil.
Sujatha Balakrishnan, theatre practitioner and founder of Theatre for Change, says of the seven women, five are actors while two are women cab drivers, who will recall the financial obstacles they have faced and their experiences being women in a conventionally male-dominated space. “One of the other actors will discuss gender discrimination she has faced at home and work. Another actor, one who was born in Karachi but lives in India, will look at how the India-Pakistan divide affects so many relations, while exploring the idea of home,” says Balakrishnan, 62, who will also perform a piece on her journey of living in a patriarchal society, from childhood to now.
While the women will discuss various issues, the common thread is the presence of a counter-narrative that ‘questions the dominant narrative’. They have written their own scripts, which were edited by Balakrishnan to form powerful monologues. Inspired by African American playwright Ntozake Shange’s choreopoems, some of these works will also be accompanied by choregraphed movement. For example, when a senior actor shares her childhood dream of being like Bollywood actor Asha Parekh, viewers can expect a dancer coming on stage to sing Sayonara in the background.
“But all these stories are positive. We want people to know that they make their own destiny,” says Balakrishnan. The performance will be followed by a Q&A session. “Having someone relate to the piece means the show’s vision and mission is accomplished,” she adds.
The play will be staged at Bangalore International Centre on October 21 at 6.30pm.