What happens when one attempts to express something while at the same time suppress any iota of meaning that may emerge from the creative process? Is the idea of meaning inherent or interpreted? How does the same element convey varied meanings for different people? Steps Theatre’s play Christuvinu Pinpulla Urakkam (The Slumber BC), which premières in the city today, attempts to explore such existential questions through the eyes of five characters engaged in a creative endeavour.
“The context of the play is a cover page design competition held by an international magazine. A bunch of friends from Kerala with advertisement background participates and the play moves forward through their interactions and monologues. They have to come up with a striking design connecting two contrasting properties. It’s a dark satire,” says Suhil Sathi who plays Rajeevan, a main character.
Scripted and directed by K R Ramesh, the one-hour-long play is staged in association with Abhinaya theatre group. “The core idea explored is that, paradoxically, the more one tries to negate meaning, the more meanings that emerge. The focus is the situation and not the story,” says Suhil, adding that the performance is dialogue-driven and peppered with philosophical conversations between the characters. With the thrust on the thoughts that go through the minds of the characters, stage props are kept minimal. Suhil calls Christuvinu Pinpulla Urakkam “ an expression of the politics of meaning.”
Despite racking their brains, the characters cannot arrive at a conclusion with their task in hand. “But the dramatic irony is we eventually realise that the design contest itself is faux and the characters never know that. It’s representative of man’s search for meaning irrespective of the context,” explains Suhil, an alumni of School of Drama and Fine Arts, Thrissur.
Actor Saritha Kukku, who plays a character called Lucia, says the play is experimental and open-ended, leaving the audience to form their own interpretations. “It’s challenging for the actors to communicate the message across, especially with the philosophical underpinnings that are at the heart of the play,” says Saritha who was part of the award-winning film Veyil Marangal directed by Bijukumar Damodaran. Others in the cast include Vighnesh Jayakrishnan, Anagha Anto and Subi Vijayan.
Steps Theatre, with 10 active members, was formed by “a circle of friends” from across the State with a passion for theatre. “We formed the collective last January after the premier of our first play, Kaattumaakkachi , that was performed at Sree Sankaracharaya University of Sanskrit, Kalady,” says Saritha. Christuvinu Pinpulla Urakkam is Steps Theatre’s second production.
Christuvinu Pinpulla Urakkam premières at Ganesham Soorya Nataka Kalari, Thycaud, on July 27 at 6.30 pm. Entry pass ₹200. Contact: 9447769791
