A Defence of Theatre

A play by

Ritwik Chaudhary

Duration -   30 Minutes

No of characters -   6

Short Synopsis

A theatre group is rehearsing a play. Initially, the actors protest the play, claiming it isn't realistic. The Director convinces the actors that the play represents the truth, and that the actors must play themselves. T...Read Full Synopsis


A Defence of Theatre

A play By Ritwik Chaudhary

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Synopsis

A theatre group is rehearsing a play. Initially, the actors protest the play, claiming it isn't realistic. The Director convinces the actors that the play represents the truth, and that the actors must play themselves. The rehearsal begins and the actors discuss ordinary things, like what happened before they arrived at the rehearsal, speak a poem, and so on. One of the actors, Yousuf, proclaims his love for another actor within the play, Simran. The Director enters and tells the actors that a murder has been committed, the police will arrive shortly. A whodunnit scenario arises, wherein everyone questions everyone else. Simran, who has been accused of the crime, tells the others she knows about the murderer. He is not with them at present. Who is he? A phantom? The devil? A political insurrectionary? To explain the identity of the murderer, the director tells a story about a saint and an old woman who lived outside of a sleepy town. But the identity of the criminal is unclear in the story. Suddenly, the assistant, who is silent for the most part in the play, screams and falls on his knees and weeps. He feels a sense of pathos for the dead person. The play ends, and the director proclaims that there was no murder. The play deals with nihilism. Life is meaningless, but theatre has the potential to offer meaning to life. Creation doesn't merely deal with what is represented on stage but is a metaphor for life. The play talks about the Good and Truth, even in circumstances where the fundamental concepts that define the human being are in question.

Duration

30   Minutes

No of characters

6

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