What if the earth was flat? What were the chances of Christopher Columbus falling over the edge of our globe? Expect to hear some bizarre questions in the middle of serious discussions over science, myths and fiction, if you are planning to attend The Man From Earth by The Madras Players.
The play will have an everyday setting, but the premise will be believable, yet unbelievable and modern. “It will have an ordinary milieux with an extraordinary story,” says Dr Yohan Chacko, the director. “In a way, the play is open-ended because it takes you to a point that it loses all credibility and yet, you are forced to believe in some things,” he adds.
Adapted from a movie by the same name, the play is set in a living room full of actors mostly in their post 40s and 50s. “The film features a two-hour long conversation from start to finish, without any flashbacks or cut to future time references. I thought it was ideal to be staged as a play.”
The difficult part was to write the stage version of the script, without taking the film’s essence away and staying as true to it as possible. Music plays an equally important role as that of the narrative. “I have composed the soundtrack. It sounds much like that of a movie, featuring orchestral music,” says the theatre artiste. The native American flute has been employed to create an aura of eeriness. Instruments such as cello, drums and pianos will complement the varying moods of the play — from absurdity to mellowness. “I have also used some Indian instruments. My protagonist claims he has travelled all over the world. So, I bring them in to give the audience a flavour of these countries. I strongly believe that music can enhance dialogues.”
Chacko is a professor, a dentist and an active YouTuber. He has a band of his own, and has worked in around 35 theatre productions with the city’s theatre veterans such as Gowri Ramnarayan and NS Yamuna. “This is my second directorial venture for The Madras Players. I had debuted with Nicholas Productions in 2010 .”
The play runs for 90 minutes.
@Museum Theatre,
Egmore
June 22, 23 and 24, 7.15 pm
For donor passes, visit bookmyshow.com or call 9381911977
