There is something both unnerving and comforting about watching a drama in a near-empty hall. In a world inundated by ‘content’, it is a reminder of the almost non-existent support that traditional theatrical arts enjoy in the popular imagination. Theatre-goers who chose not to attend Mangolik’s presentation of Return Gift missed out on a simple, no-frills story, which would have left them ruminating on their pasts.
Return Gift’s plot is uncomplicated; even children, who form the crux of the play’s emotional spirit, would be able to understand it. An old man, Priyotosh — played with confidence by the director, Samir Biswas — runs a shop from his home near a school, selling sundry items for children. His only companion during these advanced years is Sasadhar (Habul Saha), his Man Friday who runs the household. The children seem to fill a void in his life and he appears to find solace in the group of people who frequent his house for adda — parents and grandparents of some students at the school. But secrets come tumbling out of the cupboard when they decide to celebrate Priyotosh’s birthday lavishly, culminating in an emotional climax narrated through a letter penned by Priyotosh.
The strength of Return Gift is the naturalistic acting. Each artist is at his or her best. There are no over-the-top expressions, no exaggerated exclamations, distracting from a straightforward story about how children and their innocence should be treasured and adequately nurtured — a message further driven home by the portrayal of the domestic dynamics in husband-wife relationships.
Debabrata Maity’s set design, too, deserves mention as it is detailed enough without needing Bernard Shaw-esque descriptions. What the play lacks perhaps is the onstage presence of the children who are purportedly the cynosure of all eyes. Mangolik would have done well to include in its line-up a few child artists to visit Priyotosh’s shop when school gets over instead of using virtual substitutes via a cacophony of children’s voices playing in the background.