CONTACT PLAYWRIGHT

Synopsis

The play envisages scenes on a railway platform. Five different scenarios are presented, the same set of actors enacting alternate scenes, and all of them coming together in the final one. The station master and a store-keeper are threads running through them. One: An old man, a girl and a beggar. They discuss a charismatic missing youngster named Bobby whose picture is pasted on the wall. The beggar wins the earnest girl’s confidence and ends up “conning” her. Two: A mother, her son and daughter-in-law. She has forbidden the couple to touch until she gets the promised dowry. The couple rebel timidly. Three: A pompous retired army man, a girl and a beggar. The girl impresses the man making Holmes-like “guesses” about him. Here, Bobby is a militant, and they discuss army ethics and militancy. The man has a run-in with the beggar who accuses him of being classist. Finally, the girl and the beggar turn out to be militants. Four: A young man, a prostitute and her madam. The older woman entices the youngster to enable a “sale”. The wretchedness of the situation emerges through all the banter. Five: A girl and her parents. A loving couple. The beggar. A “body” is spotted under a seat and there is chaos. The beggar goes to investigate but is shot by the police. Finally, the “body” is shown to be a covered suitcase. Platform scenes that change with perspective, like life itself. The play has been published by Adisakrit as part of an anthology titled 'Five and Other Plays', available on Amazon.

Duration

100   Minutes

No of characters

10