Men’s Monologue performance is a presentation of anecdotes of six male artists from Bengaluru and across the country, inspired by its Chennai showcase started by B. Charles, a renowned theatremaker and founder of Medai. The Chennai-based performance space, Medai, expanded its wings in Bengaluru last year with a black box, that has now become a stage for budding artists, seasoned theatre practitioners and art enthusiasts.
Prithesh Bhandary | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRAGEMENT
Curated by Preeti Banerjee, Programming Director, Medai Bengaluru and performed by Gaurav Singh, Prithesh Bhandary, Satyam Gangwar, Rohit Prasannan, Darshan Jain and Sufaid Sulaiman, Men’s Monologue is about a small percentage of men who break myths of what people generally think of men. The motto of the show is to make sure every story should be heard regardless of gender, race and community.
“There is no denying that we are still living in a highly patriarchal society where rules and norms formed and upheld by men ruin the life of women, children and sometimes their own life too. But as there are two sides to a coin, we are going to explore the other side; a small percentage of men and break myths of what people generally think of men through this show”, says Preeti.
Speaking to The Hindu, actor and theatremaker, Prithesh Bhandary says his piece titled Young and Single is a lighthearted take on a man’s life in his mid-30s and the expectations around him, “My performance is about a man in his mid 30s. It talks about how in general marriage is made the most important decision of his life, and how people look at you and treat you. It is a funny take on how people judge or decide things for you when you are 35-36 years old and still single“.
Sufaid Sulaiman. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRAGEMENT
“This piece is important to me as I am of the same age, and there is a constant question of marriage around me. I also talk about how you become calmer and more composed at this age and the way you date and look at people changes in your mid 30s”, Prithesh adds.
Actor and theatre maker, Sufaid Sulaiman, who will also be presenting a monologue titled Midlife Crisis or Existential Crisis?, says that his performance is about a man searching for the right words to explain the helplessness that has plagued his existence, “My piece is about a man who is trying to figure out what is going on in his life. He is searching for the right words to explain the helplessness that has plagued his existence. He also expresses his desire to have company, to dance with him to the wonders of the universe and to share his sorrows when he sees unsettling things in this world. The piece is about a man who believes that love and empathy are the healthiest escapes from this existence. He’s trying out all the equations and theories to create a new definition, a new language to find peace and equality in this world. The piece talks about the man’s understanding of the importance of this journey”.
Medai – The Space, will be presenting Men’s Monologue on May 12, at 4.00 p.m. and 7.00 p.m. at its venue in Koramangala, 5th Block.
Tickets for Men’s Monologue is available on BookMyShow and at the venue, priced at ₹300.
