New Delhi, Aug 4 (PTI) Sangeet Akademi Award-winning director Sunil Shanbag’s absurdist political comedy “The Horse” is set to be staged in the national capital on September 6 and 7, marking the finale of Aadyam Theatre’s seventh season.
The musical comedy, scheduled to be performed at Kamani Auditorium, is an adaptation of Hungarian playwright Julius Hay’s original work of the same name.
“I first read ‘The Horse’ in the mid-1980s when there was interest in East European theatre writing in the experimental theatre world in both Marathi and Hindi in Mumbai. The play struck me as a wonderful example of a biting satire lampooning authoritarian absurdity, blind sycophancy, and the complicity of the elites.
“I was in no position to do the play at that time, but it has stayed with me for almost 40 years, and I am grateful that the Aadyam Theatre is making the long-held wish come true!” said Shanbag, who makes his return to Aadyam Theatre after “Mere Piya Gaye Rangoon” — the acclaimed adaptation of Shakespeare’s “All’s Well That Ends Well” — was staged its inaugural season in 2015.
Set in a Roman tavern during the rule of the notoriously extravagant Emperor Caligula, the play unfolds over the course of a raucous gambling night that sees the emperor betting one of his most prized possessions.
What begins as an outrageous bet spirals into a series of bizarre events that threaten to upend the Roman order. Through its absurd premise and sharply crafted satire, the play “takes aim at celebrity culture, unchecked ambition, and the erosion of public institutions — offering commentary that feels as timely as it is timeless”.
The play features an ensemble cast, led by Akash Khurana as Emperor Caligula and Neil Bhoopalam as the young boy, Selanus.
From musicals “Chandni Raatein” and “Mumbai Star” to the coming-of-age “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” and an edge-of-the-seat thriller “Saanp Seedhi”, the seventh season of Aadyam Theatre has showcased a range of theatrical productions. PTI MG BK BK
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