With the demonetisation bringing on a severe cash crunch, a Pune theatre production group has offered to let the people watch its play and pay later.
“Watch the play today, pay tomorrow. If you are really short of cash, pay a week later. We repose trust in our audience,” read the posters put out in vernacular dailies for the two-act Marathi play Amar Photo Studio, produced by theatre exponent Sunil Barve’s production group Subak. One more reason for the offer is that not everyone is conversant with online ticket booking and the use of credit cards.
‘Full faith in people’The play, which first opened in August, will make its second run at Pune’s famed Yashwantrao Chavan Natyagruha on November 19. The initial staging planned at Vashi in Navi Mumbai on November 11 was called off after the demonetisation.
“There is no point in railing against the discomfiture caused by the demonetisation. As artistes, we realised that we must give back something to the people who have supported us. We have full faith in them,” Mr. Barve said.
The play features a youthful and talented cast of new performers, including Amey Wagh, Suvrat Joshi, Pooja Thombre and Sakhee Gokhale.
A breath of lifeAs someone for whom theatre is the breath of life, the sight of audience enjoying the play is more important, said Mr. Barve, who has launched an initiative named Herbarium through Subak to rejuvenate the Marathi theatre.
“While the demonetisation has hit the art and culture industry hard, it is not possible to keep postponing the staging of the play. Hence, in good faith, we are permitting the people unable to pay up to watch the play and pay later. We will be noting down the names and phone numbers of those who avail themselves of the option,” said Nipun Dharmadhikari, director of the play.
