It's for the audience to think and decide

Jagdish Raja

, who directs David Mamet's play 'Oleanna' for a

Jagriti

production of the same name, reiterates time and again that it is not an adaptation of the original play. Raja mentions that he doesn't “edit or adapt a play script“ and for the current play, he has faithfully followed the script of Mamet who, in Raja's words, “is a master of the spoken word“. All Raja has done is render the script in the spoken format where “it spurts forth from the mouths, the bodies, the gestures, the movements and the interaction of the actors.“

According to the producers, the controversial premise of the play ­ one may term it sexual harassment but it encompasses much more ­ is as relevant today as it was in 1992 when it was first staged.

The two protagonists of the play, a university professor named John and his student Carol, played by

Preetam Koilpillai

and

Rebecca Spurgeon

respectively, start with a discussion of her grades. The conversation rapidly degenerates into a situation where she accuses him of sexual exploitation. And “the entire action of the play happens within the four walls of John's university office“. John eventually loses the tenure position he was supposed to be accorded and Carol's charges against him escalate to attempted rape.

Commenting on the theme, Koilpillai in the concept note observes, “One of the themes that Oleanna deals with, is something very close to my heart: Education. In so many systems, including our own, education has been reduced to a mindless regurgitation of facts and figures. This kind of education produces a particular kind of individual; an individual incapable of independent thought and deed; and a society in which dogma, authoritarianism and even extremism, become the norm. Oleanna might have been written in a different time and place, but it confronts us with questions that are as, if not more, relevant today as they have ever been“.

As a director, Raja presents both sides of the story. But is there some sort of subtle support for either of the two protagonists? “Subtle and not so subtle support,“ he says adding, “All the clues and pointers that one needs are in the script.“ It is for the audience to decide what really is going on.

Jagriti will be presenting 11 shows of `Oleanna' between June 9 and 18.

Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India. Don't miss daily games like Crossword, Sudoku, and Mini Crossword.