In typical Sunil Shanbag style, the stage set up for STORIES IN A SONG is bare. A piece of red cloth that seems to resemble the eighth musical note or quaver stretches across the stage, and a platform demarcates up and down stage. On this stark stage, stories of Indian music unfold through a two-hour long roller coaster ride. The production is essentially a collection of seven short pieces that traverse the various genres of Indian music - from the Therigatha collection of poems by Buddhist nuns (dating all the way back to 6th century BC) to a bunch of stories from the pre-independence era, little known musical nuggets from North India, and even a fictionalised account that follows the journey of a song from its classical roots to a DJ's console in a remixed avatar.
The play begins with the Songs of the Nuns, based on poems composed by Buddhist Theris (nuns). These poems, we are told, are the earliest known anthology of women's literature in India. The deep-throated songs and dim setting give a haunting characteristic to the piece, which is a perfect, slow initiation into the journey the audience is about to undertake. In stark contrast the next piece - Mahatma Gandhi and the Tawaif Sabha - takes us right inside the 'kotha' of a tawaif from Benares. It's an unusual story of how Gandhi's subtle support for a tawaif against vociferous vigilantes (yes, they existed then too) results in her taking a firm, and potentially dangerous, stand against the coloniser. The piece seems didactic but then that's a risk with most plays based on the freedom struggle.
With the nudge-nudge humour of Chandni Begum, the pace of the play picks up. Chandni Begum is based on Qurrat-ul-Ain Haider's novel of the same name. You don't need to be an Urdu litterateur to like this piece; a little familiarity with Urdu is essential though. This is a story of a time when Shamshad Begum was a rage and Nishi Doshi's nasal voice beckons wide-eyed appreciation from co-actor Gopal Tewari and the audience. While Chandni Begum elicits giggles, the next piece Bahadur Ladki, which is based on the Nauntanki-style of performance, energetically induces the audience to join in with a loud applause. Another piece set in pre-independence India, this one brings the first half of the play to an emphatic end.
Post interval, Hindustani Airs is an interesting jugalbandi of Western and Hindustani classical music. An 'angrez mem' (played brilliantly by Pia Sukanya) tries learning a bit of 'Hindoostani' music from the 'natives' to impress the ladies at her next soiree. This one's a near flawless piece. The next one, which follows the journey of a song from a genuine exponent to a lazy, commercial music director, is perhaps the weakest story in the collection. Sure, the musicians who were in the majority at Baajaa Gaajaa, where the play had its premiere show, might have found an instant connect with the piece. But it's a story that lacks novelty and is predictable in comparison with the others.
The final piece of the play, Kajri Akhadas, is an absolute gem. Where the angrezi mem didn't quite succeed in understanding the finer nuances of Hindustani music, the ustads of UP's Kajri Akhadas appropriate the colonisers language and present a rousing English Kajri (yes, you read that right). This piece brings the play to an end on a high note. Don't be surprised if the song 'Re Savariya' stays with you even days later.
It's very rare these days to walk out of an auditorium after a thrilling and impressive performance. STORIES IN A SONG is a play that lets you sport a wide grin as you walk out. Actors - Ketaki Thatte and Namit Das - have done a wonderful job. In fact, the entire cast and crew, including Shubha Mudgal and Aneesh Pradhan, who have have researched and conceived the play as well as composed and selected music for it, truly deserved the standing applause.
In spite of an intimidating subject (let's face it, most of us don't pride ourselves on our intricate knowledge of classical music), the play is not at all daunting. The songs are hummable and I hope they'd consider releasing a recording of the songs. What's most beautiful about STORIES IN A SONG is that it is a play that talks of the subaltern, women's emancipation, subversion, protest and repossession. But these are ideas that easily mingle with the larger stories and let you enjoy an evening of absolutely gorgeous song and dance. This one's a complete paisa vasool.
*Charulata enjoys watching theatre, and writing about it.
