I settled down into my chair at the banquet hall at ITC’s Welcomhotel, Coimbatore, a tad nervous. As I looked around at the 100-odd people who had turned up to watch the performance, there was an atmosphere of rebellious camaraderie. The masks on our faces and the socially-distanced seating apart, it was as if we were willing normalcy to return so
that we could go back to chasing our pursuits.
ASHOK’s FIVE reviews #David Williamson's #BrilliantLies, the two-act play staged by #BlackBoxTheatreWorks and produced by #CoimbatoreArtsandTheatreSociety. This Australian play explores the dynamics of sex and power, questions right and wrong and attempts to arrive at the truth. A young woman employee accuses her former superior of sexual harassment and demands compensation. The matter comes up for mediation at an appellate authority but the subsequent events present a different picture and we are left wondering as to what actually happened. At the end, each viewer could come to his or her own conclusion and the play leaves you reflecting on the possibilities.
Spread over 18 scenes and two Acts with a ten minute-interval, the production eschews an elaborate set or light design and focuses on quality emoting and high impact dialogue-delivery to bring home the goods. #AnuapamaMadan plays the young woman who accuses her former boss (#DhirenKathura) of harassment and wrongful dismissal. She carries herself with a righteous air that quickly dissolves into that of an opportunistic gold-digger of questionable morals. Amidst the umpteen costume changes and some indignant accusations, she redeems herself at the end and leaves you wondering if you read her wrong. #DhirenKathuria plays the young upstart, who is keen to avoid a trial by the media and wants to settle the issue quietly. He is looking for support from his boss. Do not get fooled by his tall good looks and seemingly innocent demeanor as he pulls a rabbit from under his hat and gets rid of his boss with the help of his merchant banker friends.
#AjitSancheti, #ShreyaMythrei and #SomySridas step in with supporting roles and do a commendable job of keeping you hooked as the scenes whiz through. I think it did get a little tiring at the end though and perhaps could have done with some tight editing to snip off twenty minutes or so.
#RameshChandran as Mahir Singh the Chairman of the National Commission of Women makes his entry in a rather sedate manner much in the style of the conservative babu in the North Block offices in Delhi. The quintessential Punjabi accent and the measured bureaucrat approach quickly dissolves and he catches you by surprise as the sharp wit, astute sense of character and an administrative acumen combine to deliver some brilliant moments. #RameshChandran is brilliant in his role and brings in an understated but sharp interpretation to Mahir Singh. Some of the best moments of the play belong to him as he surprises you with fantastic body language and some well-timed one-liners! Not for one moment do you grapple with the fact that the Commission is being led by a man!
#KVSiddhartha’s direction and complete hold over the screenplay is the other highlight. The one scene where the Mahir-Singh-summoned conference quickly degenerates into abject negotiations and has to be finally called off makes you reflect on each character’s motivations.
I found it fascinating to watch how the characters emerge from their black and white avatars to grey metaphors. There is the sister who is protective and reluctant to tell a lie to defend her own sibling but the lure of money can change all that. The brother is concerned about their father but does not shy away from casting aspersions on his sister's character. And the boss who is protective of his employee but quick to distance himself when it comes to the monetary settlement. And an administrative veteran who is agonizingly bureaucratic but makes you sit up at his ability to cut through the bluster and arrive at the truth.
The stage did look a little cramped and I am sure it did not help the actors from letting themselves go completely. A couple of slip-ups on lighting and scene change-overs did not dampen the momentum. Some of the dialogues did bring on a snigger and a guffaw and kept the audience enthralled.
Sexual harassment and the Me-Too movment in recent times does make the theme of #BrilliantLies very topical and the script does reflect on many aspects around such cases. At the end, the light hearted treatment and the non-partisan point of view make this semi-adult comedy quite an enjoyable experience. As the hotel authorities expressed their profound gratitude and even cut a cake dedicated to the ‘revival of theatre’, I came away feeling enthralled and reaffirmed in my love for theatre!
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