A blend of extraordinary performances

The experimental White Rabbit Red Rabbit had the audience thrilled and flummoxed in equal measure

Powerful performances by Arundhati and Darius. Photo: Sampath Kumar G.P

Are you in the play? What is the queer feeling? Are you being manipulated? Can you walk out? Can you stop it? What is happening? Is it real? Is it a metaphor of life? Thousands of questions were pondering in the mind and was absolutely baffled even after the play had ended. Had to pinch myself after the play to substantiate the reality. White Rabbit Red Rabbit is an extraordinary play depicting the agony of an independent thinking person living in an oppressive regime. Presented in an unique format the play presents the suffering and craving for freedom in several layers. The finale is really significant. One can only empathise with him

S.N. Kumar

BTM 2nd Stage

Tick Tock, Tick Tock. We were just minutes away from the huge revelation that had us gripped with anxiety. I wonder if anybody cared so much about enough iron available in their body to form haemoglobin as they did about that one thing that had got us hungry out of curiosity. And how does one even come prepared to a performance as this one? No script, no story, no hints, nothing! Though I am sure what we felt before it all began would be incomparable to Darius Sunawala’s state of mind, not only did he deliver a wonderful performance, he also kept us engaged. An amazing stage presence whilst keeping each one of us enthralled was a task so effortlessly done. Nassim Soleinmanpour's play is one that first leaves you in bouts of laughter and then makes you think.

Madhura Gersappa

Nassim Soleimanpour was 290th, Arundhati Nag was 289th and I was number 80 at the Ranga Shankara performance on Wednesday. The author, the actor and the audience were all human for the 70 minutes of the play that was written six years ago in Iran. Brought alive during the Hindu Fest, the performance is a shot at reflection of what we have become: it is like the cheetah pretending to be an ostrich, exposing the vulnerability of wanting to shine under someone else’s light. How does our past shape our future? Is de-conditioning possible? Or, does someone sitting in Iran still have the power to poison someone in miles across, without being physically present. A pure human manner driven by the choice between two glasses of water beautiful lived by Arundhati, and perfectly worded by Nassim!

Omar Wani

Jakkur

The transgressive and transformative power of Arundhati Nag's performance established a splendid connection with her audience through Nassim Soleimanpour's play White Rabbit Red Rabbit . The playwright's goal of living our future with our past was enacted lucidly

Mridula Laxman

JP Nagar Fifth Phase

In this play, no one has any clue about the plot and both the audience and the actor slowly discover the twists and turns. The protagonist is veteran theatre artist Arundhati Nag, and she gives a confident performance. The underlying theme is how people conform to the norms of the society even when they do not understand the reason behind them. But no philosophy or moral lesson is explicitly stated and it the audience can make their own interpretation. The ending of the play could have been a bit better.

Jyotish Das

Koramangala 8th Block

White Rabbit Red Rabbit is nothing like what one may expect. A performance so direct and personal that it reminds you of the power of theatre. Nassim's script is brilliant with its timely pauses and its incisions into the human psyche. With no rehearsal and no direction, we experienced Darius's natural and genuine reaction to a thought provoking script and his audience. An experience not to be missed.

Nisha Kuttan

Electronic City Phase

A play which transcended elements of time, space, geographical locations, people and audiences. The unique experience here, was the omnipresent playwright, and an interesting oscillation of the narrative. Confines of space did not restrict one's imagination. Political and social scenario peeked throughout the play, hiding in between animated story line. Satirical, hilarious, touching at times, the plot posed questions which have stayed on long after the play has ended. On the flip side, a talent like Darius appeared wasted on an experiment although sparks of brilliance shone intermittently!

Sharmila Aravind

Rajarajeshwarinagar

How do you review a play when the producers request you not to reveal the plot much. Was this too, an instruction from the playwright (Nissim Soleimanpour)? And, was there a plot, at all? Questions galore (on censorship, free will, psychology, conditioning, human nature, past, future, belief, surrender) in this funny, intense and creepy theatrical experiment where the playwright (sitting very far, both, in terms of time and space) communicates directly with the audience, through the performer (who also explores it with them), without a director. The living, breathing organism that the whole setup became, would never know if these questions were, answers in disguise?

Narendra Shekhawat

Dollars Layout, 4th Phase

J P Nagar

An enigmatic theatrical experience leaving the audience in a daze. White Rabbit Red Rabbit , a piece were the writer is king. The theme rocks between comedy and drama. The stage comes alive as the actor voices the writer. The writer is the hero of the act and takes centre stage guiding the audience and the actor together. Walking out of the exit by force the drama leaves an intriguing thought if it would make a difference if one had stayed a little longer. The Iranian writer leaves it to one’s own imagination to conclude his play as one wishes to. A well spent Wednesday afternoon at Ranga shankara.

Kruthika HC

J P Nagar

White Rabbit, Red Rabbit ...I look upon it as Red onion, White onion because layers and layers of meaning could be deciphered as the plot develops. At a particular juncture, a serious undertone moves the audience and clouds the eye. The playwright offers an astonishingly novel experience to the theatre-goer, and by touching the goodness quotient in every one present seeks to proclaim that goodness is inherently alive in people all around the world. Symbolism abounds and the eclectic manner of the play displays his ecstatic composure---to reach out, to enter into the lives of fellow human beings, to communicate with them, to be able to connect, to make them empathise. Now that is no mean task, but Nassim Soleimanpour succeeds in all these and more. He sure has touched a chord and its reverberation will definitely continue to define terms such as freedom, independence, travel and cynicism...

S. Visalakshi

Whitefield

S. Visalakshi, Whitefield, wins a meal for two at ITC MyFortune

The Hindu Theatre Fest 2016

The Title Sponsor of the event is YES BANK. The Associate Sponsor is Telangana Tourism. The Merchandise partner is Focus Art Gallery. The Mobility Partner is Ola. The Gift partner is Terra Earthfood and the Event manager is evam.