CONTACT PLAYWRIGHT

Synopsis

In Absentia was the second play in the series that came to be called Tales From the City. The ‘Bangalore phenomenon’ cannot escape attention. The information technology hub of India has clearly contributed hugely to the transformation of India. In the process the city had transformed itself. The ‘sociology of the city’ appears a very fascinating subject indeed. It can be examined through a body of available hard statistics, demographics, consumption patterns, habitat, traffic density, the addition of cars and two-wheelers to the roads per month, the migration to the city from other States, the emerging social institutions and demand-supply chains to serve the needs of change, and so on. It could also be examined through the lives lived by people in the new city – in roles unimagined just fifteen years earlier. Unlike the other four plays in the set, In Absentia is a ‘white collar’ tale, set among occupations of the new Bangalore. The migration from poorer, more conservative communities in other parts of India has presented new experiences to the workforce, both new opportunities and new challenges in realigning their lives. As with all the plays in this volume, the play is based on real characters I came to know as part of my professional work. The narrative is fictional, with three storylines running in parallel. It is an attempt to capture an elusive whole over the parts.

Duration

85   Minutes

No of characters

9