Bangalore has always been a potpourri of a range of lifestyles and diverse cultural amalgamations. But the one thing that makes the city special is its ability to bring people together, despite their different backgrounds. Boiled Beans on Toast , a play written by renowned Kannada playwright Girish Karnad and directed by actor and director Lillete Dubey, raises a toast to the city that celebrates life – Bangalore.
Showcasing a contemporary modern view of Bangalore, the original Kannada play Benda Kaalu on Toast has been adapted in English and directed by Lillete. Tracing the interwoven lives of six people who have opted to live in Bangalore and are different from each other, belong to widely divergent social strata, and come from different geographical areas.
Presented by The Primetime Theatre Company which has done over 2,000 shows across the world, the play is deceptively simple, according to director Lillete.
“It’s not dramatic or has heavy messages and powerful speeches. It only looks at a whole lot of characters and how they bump into each other and their whole survival in the big city coming from neighbouring cities and towns. This is the story of invisible people. Commoners who are part of a city like Bangalore. They have different dreams and aspirations and how they deal with this in the big city is what the story is about.”
She adds that the play talks very subtly about a lot of issues that concern urban cities today. “It applies for any developed city like Bangalore. There are many sub-themes but they are dealt with seriously. These issues are focussed upon subtly and quite delightful in a way. It’s got a lot of humour and is very entertaining. It probes all these issues but you will enjoy the play more. That’s what I like about the way Girish writes.”
She points out that what attracted her to the play was that it is Girish’s new play and “He has moved to the contemporary space where he brings the same intelligent, insightful, tongue-in-cheek gaze he has on earlier plays onto contemporary society. I was very excited to do the English version.”
Starting under a single roof, the lives of the people in the play branch out in various directions, get entangled in the swirl of life outside where they lose track of themselves, they separate or unexpectedly collide and careen in opposite directions. The city is Bangalore but anyone familiar with life in a modern Indian megalopolis will instantly respond to this portrayal of urban aspirations, conflict, blind groping and violence. A serene old lady unexpectedly discovers a passion for horse-racing and is not averse to cheating her own family; a small-town youth devoted to his family is mesmerised by prospects of sudden prosperity; a trustworthy servant of many years is discovered floating homeless in the nightmarish streets; a not-very-bright young maid learns how to fight for survival within the confines of a kitchen. What we have is modern city life in its many shadow-shapes, funny, tender, moving, relentless in its pursuit of success, buffeted by ceaseless emotional flux. The play is in English and is suitable for ages 15 and above and will be staged in Bangalore at Chowdiah Memorial Hall on October 16. For tickets, log on to bookmyshow.com or call 9243777970 or 9844056181.
