Uhinee Kolkata, arguably the most proficient theatre group around, never fails to surprise. Led by Adrija Dasgupta, the group is supported by a meticulous training programme that is regularly updated. Over the years, it has achieved a seamless stage chemistry involving the actor’s body and speech. Often aided by live music and choreographed moves, an Uhinee Kolkata production is a case study in contemporary theatre aesthetics. In recent years, it has been focussing on shortlength productions, each different in its own way and directed by different directors — a rarity in group theatre tradition. This reviewer experienced three of them at Minerva Theatre recently.
Of the three, Jola aar Saat Bhoot (picture), inspired by Upendrakishore Ray Chowdhury’s timeless short story, has seasoned considerably and has already been staged 75 times. Edited and directed by Avijit Sarkar, this 45-minute-long production is a rib-tickling comedy with dollops of fantasy elements. Sarkar beats about the morality tale, designing a musically rich piece supported by uninhibited acting. Slapstick methods are employed with precision and magnified expressions are put to good use. The play also demonstrated how the creative use of stage props, including masks, can bring in a lot of difference in the visualisation of a tale that most Bengalis know by heart.
Dasgupta’s latest directorial work, Upekshitar Kabya, experiments with storytelling. Taking a cue from Rabindranath Tagore’s short stories and poems, and concentrating on not-so-celebrated female characters, this work develops quietly, banking on natural acting and dances that hog the centre stage. The production looked half-baked, mostly due to clumsy acting and dull choreography.
Dhong, inspired by a Facebook post by Pradipta Dey, was a breath of fresh air. A situational comedy set in a typical, Bengali middle-class domestic set-up, Dhong focuses on a girl reeling under parental pressure to perform in academics. A chance encounter with a thief changes her life. The director, Sejuti Bagchi, explored the apparent absurdities in everyday situations, taking full advantage of her multi-talented cast, not to mention some clowning that raised the entertainment quotient.
