Staying Connected #12 | A Special Treat of Theatre | September 07, 2020

Have you ever thought why theatre is such a powerful medium to explore complex stories, portray various social conditions and put cultural practice under the spotlight? No other medium gets under its audience’s skin quite the same way. This could be because the theatre has characters who 'speak' quite literally, enabling discussions and debates on ideas and ways of living in a manner that few other art forms can do. In this sense, the theatre could also become a witness or chronicler of the times in all its complexities. 

Today, under the Staying Connected Series by India Foundation for the Arts (IFA), we bring you two landmark plays from Maharashtra that does the above in different and interesting ways. Directed by Mohit Takaldar, F-1/105 explores the perception of 'colour' in contemporary society by presenting shades of green. S*x, M*rality and Cens*rship directed by Sunil Shanbag is a bold, provocative exploration of censorship by the state and society.

F-1/105 by Mohit Takaldar of Aasakta Kalamanch

The play weaves the personal and the political, the physical and the psychological, and takes you through stunning revelations of the colour 'green'. This kaleidoscopic and darkly funny play in mainly Marathi, as well as Hindi, Gujarati and English seeks to examine societal hierarchies and individual frustrations, within the aesthetic and cultural spheres of contemporary urban society. Watch a recording of the play with English subtitles here.

Mohit Takalkar received a grant from IFA, under its Arts Practice programme in 2014 to develop F-1/105, a production based on a Marathi script by playwright Ashutosh Potdar titled Flat Number F-1/105.

S*x, M*rality and Cens*rship by Sunil Shanbag

S*x, M*rality and Cens*rship tells the story of Vijay Tendulkar’s controversial theatre classic Sakharam Binder which was attacked by the censor board and by sections of society. Combined with the parallel world of Tamasha, and the amazing spirit of the 1970s, the play offers an exciting mix of theatre, memory, live music, dance, and video.

During these difficult times of COVID-19, Sunil at Tamaasha Theatre has been devising ways to present his plays online through guided viewings and behind the scenes conversations. As part of these efforts, Studio Tamaasha is launching its monthly series TheatreNama on Insider presenting fascinating slices of contemporary theatre history, and theatremaking. And we are happy that they have chosen S*x, M*rality and Cens*rship, originally presented by the theatre company Arpana, to launch the series.

Click here to buy tickets for the guided viewing of the play on Sunday, September 13, 2020, at 06:00 PM. Join its writers, director, and actors, as they share little known stories of the genesis of the idea and the exciting creative process of the play!

Sunil Shanbag received a grant from IFA, under its New Performance programme in 2009 to transform the performance script, S*x, M*rality and Cens*rship, which was developed by Shanta Gokhale and Irawati Karnik with the support of an earlier grant from IFA, into a stage production.