Cunningly crafted
Imagine reading a pop-up comic book. Except, the story is dark and intended for an adult audience that can appreciate the absurdity of women speaking like they were out of a 1960’s Indian gangster movie— body stiff, posture erect, spies dressed in overcoats and saving the world like in an Alistair MacLean novel, bungling detectives who turn into policemen at the drop, (or literally, change) of a hat, a headless telephone that walks by itself, a crazy inn-keeper á la Hitchcock, a larger-than-life villain who is large simply because he is seated on a high chair, actors turning into lighting crew, and using all modes of transport including a car, a cycle, a train and a ship to give us the feeling of escape and drama. All of this staged perfectly and set to live Jazz music. That was Detective 9-2-11 for you, a fast-paced, cunningly crafted play. A few gags that were used just for the sake of it, did take away from the tension though, at places. The dialogue itself was uninteresting, and the verbal humor, predictable for the most part. A self-indulgent entertainer that is redeemed by its high visual quality and top-notch performances from the cast.
Vinodhini, Abhiramapuram
Be Warned!
With the main protagonist urging the audience to consider trying the undoable, Detective 9-2-11 unfolds to an array of unthinkable speed and amazingly coordinated actions. A true representative of modern drama, this play succeeds in creating a movie-like experience on stage, overcoming the constraints of live performance. Proclaimed as ‘gangster physical comedy’ genre by director Atul Kumar, the play brings forth an exceptional stage performance by 11 actors depicting a thriller. The do-it-yourself dynamic change of set, excellent lighting and on-stage costume-change by actors meta-morphing to other characters added to the high quotient of drama, controlled pandemonium truly represent the modern life and attitude. A delectable jamboree of concepts from the pop culture and the jazz music to the yesteryear filmy nautanki style of acting, this action-packed humorous thriller should be in your must-watch list.
Saswati Mukherjee, Alwarpet
Riot of laughter
‘Nau -Do-Gyarah’ would actually mean to ‘run away’, but no one did, as it turned out to be a ‘run-away’ riot of laughter and suspense that had the audience glued to their seats! Dialects seamlessly moved on from Amchi Mumbai to Amar Bangla and even Namma Chennai, as ap‘prop’riately used props kept propping up, with numerous ‘wheeler dealers’ moving about their cast on ‘cast’ors. With a brilliant display of jazz and razzmatazz, the ‘stage-management’ at every ‘stage’ was so impressive that it may even have prompted Shakespeare to say, ‘All the Stage is a World!’. ‘Atul’, means ‘matchless’, and he is!
S Venkatachalam, Alwarpet
