NEW DELHI: Exchanging dialogues over whether rapping is similar to origami; Nina and Suresh are too engrossed in proving their point. Actually, these are theatre artists rehearsing for English play Animals Out of Paper, to be staged in Gurugram next week. A Scene-Stealers production, it is an adaptation of the eponymous play by Rajiv Joseph. It’s the story of Ilana, a famous origami artist, who is stuck in life, until she opens her studio to an eccentric high school teacher, Andy, and his teenage student Suresh, an origami prodigy. Director Aditee Biswas says, “These three intriguingly flawed characters begin to reshape and mould each others lives in much the same way they fold and crease origami art. They have their own narratives, which lead to the birth of a new story.”
It will be the third run of this play that will be staged on a white set done with a lot of paper art by artist Ankon Mitra. “It depicts how lonely Nina’s life is. The only colours we have on the stage are costumes that have been designed by Poonam Bhagat,” says Vivek Mansukhani, who plays the character of Anindo Chatterjee. Joseph wrote the play for an American audience. “But when we got permission to stage it here, we adapted it according to our audience. The plot and message is the same. The story is about hurting, loving and healing. I play a complicated character with various shades and pretending to be happy,” adds Mansukhani, who works with an education management company.
The character of Nina is being played by financial consultant Geeta Sudan, who has been into theatre for quite long and was seen playing Jessica’s mother in No One Killed Jessica, and the nosy aunty in Veere Di Wedding. About her role, she says, “Nina Bedi is every other urban Indian woman, who is facing or has faced discrimination in life just for being a woman. It’s her struggle to which a lot of people will relate.”
While Nina is the master of Origami, Suresh looks at everything through rap.
Played by Aman Mehra, a London-based actor, this character is a teenage guy dealing with the loss of his mother. About his role and the play, he says, “The play brings in aspects of rap music and origami as vessels to deal with the grief. It portrays people of all ages dealing with their losses. My character is not able to deal or communicate with people of his age. So, Andy, my school professor introduces me to famous Origamist Nina. And in origami, I find a way to deal with grief and build new relationships.”
On: February 29 and March 1; 7:00 pm
At: Apparel House Auditorium, Sector 144, Gurugram