As the nation is reeling in the wake of violent protests over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and many are discussing the subject along ethnic lines, it is time to turn towards the classics for a clue or two. Rangapat’s take on Euripides’s Medea comes at this crucial juncture. It showed that far from being a dry exploration of archaic material set in ancient Greece, a timeless script like Medea can connect with the audience.

Unlike most Bengali groups, Rangapat, led by Tapanjyoti Das, loves to tread the road not taken and pull out all the stops to mount a show that befits a classical theme. It has often attempted to bypass the vagaries of naturalistic drama and explore a wider canvas, however distant it may be.

Its first foray into classical Greek drama was a gallant one. Based on an adaptation by Ratan Kumar Das who, for a change, chose to allude to some of the Bengali classics, Medea touched upon a plethora of issues we grapple with today. The director worked overtime to ensure that apart from being a discourse on the silencing of female voices, the play can emerge as a critique of our times. Das’s penchant for experimenting with a variety of theatrical forms to achieve a stylization effective for the drama never shone so bright.

Suggesting a vaginal canal on a dark cyclorama, the stage designer duo, Saumik-Piyali, were spot on. Sudip Sanyal’s lights explored the shadow lines and silhouettes. Niloy Sengupta designed an opulent costume, complete with ornate headgear and masks. That the Rangapat actors carried them so gracefully owes a great deal to a fluid scenography that was marvellous all through, save for a few blackouts to facilitate a scene change.

Facing the ultimate challenge for an actress, Senjuti Mukhopadhyay played a wildly egotistic and remorseless Medea taking on patriarchy singlehandedly with meticulous attention to detail.

It was a heart-wrenching act, maintaining a fine balance between being delectably vulnerable and decidedly scary. A chameleon-like Suman Saha matched her brilliance in the triple role of Jason, Creon and Aegeus. Sukriti Lahori and Sunayana Bhowmik provided good support, as did the chorus in its truncated form.