Celebration to Mark 20 Years of Primetime Theatre Company

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One of India's Best Known Companies at the Watermans

     

Watermans presents a theatrical celebration to mark twenty years of Primetime -- one of India’s best known theatre companies, producing original and adapted work. Set up by actor/director, Lillete Dubey to give voice to contemporary Indian writing in English, the company now enjoys a reputation for producing high quality theatre for local and global audiences. The Company has been a regular visitor to Watermans and we look forwarding to showcasing their work over a fortnight from 29 March – Sat 5 April at Watermans.

Dubey, who also enjoys a solo career as an actor in Bollywood and independent Indian cinema, is passionately committed to theatre, and together with Primetime has been a dynamic force in creating quality theatre in English. (She has just completed shooting for the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel).

Over a fortnight (Tues 29 March – Sat 9 April) Primetime Theatre Company, will be showcasing two of their hit productions: Love on the Brink, an absurd comedy adapted from “Luv” a Broadway play by American writer, Murray Schisgal, and Dance Like a Man, a social drama, by contemporary Indian playwright, Mahesh Dattani.

The Primetime Theatre Festival opens with a Gala performance on Tuesday 29 March with a performance of Love on the Brink, which runs until Sun 3 April; while Dance Like a Man has its press night on Tues 5 April and runs till Sat 9 April.

Love On the Brink, adapted by Sandhya Divecha, is an absurd existential comedy about love and the pursuit of happiness -- taken from a 1965 Broadway show, “LUV” and transposed to contemporary India. It tells the tale of misfit, Bandy and materialistic, Chops, who meet by chance one dark night, when the latter prevents the former from jumping into the sea and ending his life.  They realise that they are ex-college classmates and begin to talk only to discover that they are equally dissatisfied with their lot. As Bandy, in his rage, reveals the depth of his despair, Chops a picture of prosperity, is all sympathy and then confesses that he too is full of frustration, because his wife won’t divorce him so he can marry the woman he loves.

Into this milieu, enters, the wife, Amu a beautiful and highly educated woman and what transpires next is in the tradition of best satirical comedy. And the more their woes increase, the more we laugh, as we recognize our own lives in their incisively observed and wildly funny misadventures, as they struggle to understand life, love, success and the pursuit of happiness.

The show features a cast of three actors: Joy Sengupta, Kumud Mishra and Ira Dubey

Dance Like a Man, which is amongst India’s longest running shows is the story of two aging Bharatnatyam dancers, Ratna and Jairaj, who are past their prime, contrasting alongside their daughter, Lata who is on the verge of establishing herself as a brilliant dancer. Her imminent success breeds tension and jealousy amongst her parents, and the audience is drawn into dark secrets of the family and tension over generations. This richly layered production, explores personal conflicts within a dysfunctional family setting as well as the social taboos around being a ‘dancer’ in post independent India. Dance Like a Man originally premiered at Watermans in 2003, and features the original cast of Lillete Dubey; Vijay Crishna, Joy Sengupta and Suchitra Pillai.

Primetime theatre Company produces work across a range of genres from comedy, adaptations, serious drama, devised texts and has contributed to shaping the Indian drama landscape of theatre in English. The Company has been a regular visitor to Watermans, and we look forward to welcoming them for their 20th anniversary celebrations. Watermans is grateful to the Nehru Centre for their support towards the celebrations.

 

 

March 9, 2011