The Graduate promises a class act

<div class="section1"><div class="Normal">IT took a play like The Graduate to bring Kevin Oliver back to Bangalore after 14 years. “I saw it, fell in love with it and called up Prasad Bidapa immediately and asked if he would do it,� says Kevin, who roped in Prasad’s wife Judy to play the lead. Kevin and Prasad are now on the lookout for established and new actors to play various roles in their version of The Graduate. “They can be between 18 to 30 years but should look 21. <br />We’ve managed to put the older cast together,� he explains. The play will be staged in the city on January 30 and 31 and February 1 and 2. To audition, call D and PG at 5588684. After doing plays in Canada, Bangalore-boy Kevin felt that it was time to come down and do something different in his hometown. “I am trying to find talent and to see how much theatre has progressed. I heard Arjun Sajnani did Kiss of the Spiderwoman and Mahesh Dattani, an old friend of mine, is also doing a lot of theatre,� says the man who wrote the musical Shakuntala.<br />While he’s in Bangalore, Kevin will be scouting around for new talent and watching as many plays as he can. “I’m even going to attend choir performances. There is always someone out there who can be pulled out and trained.� He’s also going to dig into high schools and universities, hoping to find some untapped acting brilliance.<br />But why did it take 14 years to come back? “I wanted to see the distance we’ve gone. Now, I’m trying to go as far as I can take it — with acting, props, lighting. I am calling up all my musician friends. When I saw the play abroad, it was done so beautifully — a compact version, with sets so easy and yet so functional. It’s so effective and doesn’t look amateur either.�<br />Don’t expect the old Kevin Oliver style though. “I’ve been doing plays for 22 years now. In my time, we had to do everything. I wasn’t spoilt. That’s the nicest thing about long ago. Now, there’s someone for everything. It’s time a really slick production gets into action.� <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">kanakhirani@indiatimes.com</span> </div> </div>