Paris Hilton and her ilk ought to watch this 28 year-old children's musical where the spoilt brat learns lessons from life, thanks to a bunch of hardworking villagers
Paris Hilton and her ilk ought to watch this 28 year-old children's musical where the spoilt brat learns lessons from life, thanks to a bunch of hardworking villagers
Arun Kakade, the producer of Durga Zali Gauri, proudly compares his play to Agatha Christie's murder mystery play, Mousetrap. "As far as I know, Durga Zali Gauri is the only play in the world, apart from Mousetrap, that has been running continuously for so many years," he remarks. The play with a 60-member cast had its first show in 1982. This weekend, it returns to the city after travelling across Maharashtra and Goa.
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| The cast rehearses a scene from Durga Zali Gauri. Pic/Mahanand Gupta |
The story of the play is pretty simple, in keeping with expectations from a children's play. An overindulged and pampered Princess Durga insists on sleeping on a bed of roses. But when a thorn pricks her she throws a terrifying tantrum and declares that she will punish the culprit. The king admonishes Durga for such behaviour and the princess leaves the palace in anger. She walks away from the palace and she reaches the shore of a river where she forces a fisherman to take her across despite a raging storm in the horizon.
Fearing Durga's wrath, the fisherman rolls out his boat. Midway through the journey the boat is broken and the princess is washed away. However, villagers who live downstream save her and a couple takes her in.
Everybody calls her Gauri now. While living with the villagers she understands their hardships and starts helping them make their life better in her own education and knowledge. "The play emphasises the importance of education, humility, co-operation and hard work. It's only after toiling hard with the villagers that the princess gets sound sleep, which even the bed of roses couldn't give her," says Kakade, explaining the moral of the story.
Since the play has been running for years now, it obviously receives plenty of repeat audience. In fact, many of the former cast members return with their families. At times, actresses who've played the part of the princess earlier are seated in the audience with their own children. "There is one person who had seen the show when it opened in 1982. He came back with his son and now, he brings his grandchildren to the show," says Kakade. It's time you introduced your kids to this classic too.
On: Today, 11 am at Gadkari Rangayatan, Dr Moose Road, near Railway Station, Thane (W).
Call: 25362165u00a0
On: April 9, 11 am at Yashwant
Natya Mandir, near Ruparel College, Matunga (W). Call: 24381659
Tickets: Rs 50 to Rs 80
