Chennai-based troupe Evam revisits its debut production Art in its new stripped down, character focused form with the humour intact
Chennai-based troupe Evam revisits its debut production Art in its new stripped down, character focused form with the humour intact
Chennai based entertainment troupe Evam is no stranger to the city and easily produces recall amongst theatre goers here. After a series of successful performances in town, Evam is now back with what they call the Double Bill. This will feature two previously performed playsu00a0-- Art and the more recent 39 Steps. 
Art, written byu00a0 French playwright Yasmina Reza that won the Tony Award Critics' Circle Best Play in the year 1998 was Evam's debut production as a theatre group in 2003 and is now being revisited with fresh insight by the same cast.
Directed by founder member of the troupe Karthik Kumar, the play is a story of three friends who live together. One of these friends happens to buy a piece of art that brings to the forefront the tension brewing amongst them. It also brings out a larger picture of how a piece of art is perceived differently by three laymen.
"The characters are outlined in a way where everybody in the audience will be able to relate to some part of either one of the characters. The others will easily resemble situations or other people they deal with," says Karthik.
The characters are on three different poles and depicts in a humourous way how uncoiled emotions can lead to a battle amongst friends over something rather trivial. "The play is about endearment and vulnerability. It is like taking an intelligent laugh at our own selves," says Karthik.
Previously performed in the city, the play a pet favourite for the group is being revisited after a period of four years in a stripped down form. Talking about how a revisit can alter a production Karthik says, "When performing the play for the first time we used elaborate sets and actual furniture. We also used a narrator to bind the story together.
Both these are missing this time and the performance now will be a simplistic character focused one. Also, as a play it looks significantly different when performed. We have changed as people in the past eight years and very different moments are touching us this time," he says. "The play has definitely matured over time," adds Karthik.
The cast includes three actors- Karthik himself, founder member Sunil Vishnu K and city-based June and no backstage crew with the caste doubling up to run backstage errands themselves.
The challenge of bringing back a play after years of its performance hardly bothers the director and he says, "It is a very different emotional journey. During a re-run you initially approach a play like there is no other way of doing it. There is a meter you are stuck to which is hard to break. The moment you break the rhythm you begin to forget lines. We have had a lot of bloopers during rehearsals with no backstage crew to laugh at us thankfully."
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At Ranga Shankara, JP Nagar
On April 5, 6 and 7, 7.30 pm
Call 9880036611
For Rs 200
Double trouble
Evam as part of its Double Bill brings another rare treat. Written by John Buchan and adapted into a film by Alfred Hitchcock, The 39 Steps is a comic thriller that will set your pulse racing while giving you a few good laughs. The play is a comic tribute to the legendary film by the same name and Alfred Hitchcock himself.u00a0
Four actors are in the process of trying to remake the film. The many proceedings that are part of the process unfold on stage and the four actors go onto play 120 characters through the show.
At Ranga Shankara, JP Nagar
On April 8, 7.30 pm, April 9 and 10, 3.30 and 7.30 pm
Call 9880036611 For Rs 200
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