Lights, music & emotion: Gurgaon theatre fest ends on a high note

Lights out as the UNBOXED Theatre Festival presented by Urban Suburban Productions in partnership with Gurgaon Times at Museo Camera came to a close on Sunday night. The four-day-long celebration of theatre in the heart of Gurgaon showcased three distinct plays – the women-only Steady That Stage, a dramatised reading of Night of January 16th and nine contemporary short plays in Acts of Love (And Other Disasters).

'Overwhelming response'

Lights shift, emotions heighten, music picks up pace – day two was filled with dramatic pauses and excitement. The audience was jolted by a woman screaming, the suspect’s lover interrupting proceedings, and the judge banging the gavel to silence the court. The courtroom came alive with the realistic portrayal of the play set in 1938 America. Night of January 16th was a dramatised reading of one of Ayn Rand's most intriguing stage works and aimed to reinvent the classic by highlighting the immediacy and intimacy of play readings. Director Rohit Ohri received a standing ovation for the play. Voicing his initial doubts about the production, Rohit said, "Because there were so many experiments we were trying with this play, I was wondering whether this would actually succeed or not and how people would perceive it. And the response has been overwhelming, I'm stunned, quite honestly, I wasn't expecting such a response."

'Felt like sitting in a courtroom'

"It was very well put together. In an intimate setting like this, you can see the expressions up close and almost feel the emotions happening around you. You could feel the heightened energy in the room," notes Vivek Chhachhi, who watched Night of January 16th. Actors sat among the audience and remained in character throughout, adding to the experience and showcasing dedication.

A musical night of wonder

While day two was all about the lighting and the actors' voices, day three and four included a set of nine acts joined by music. Acts of Love (And Other Disasters) portrayed how chaotic, messy, yet beautiful love is. From an old couple, a couple in therapy, to a man married to a chair – the play highlighted the eccentricities of each character as they navigate relationships and its disasters. Witty and wickedly relatable, each act included a heart icon depicted in various forms that added an emotional connection.

"What's special is that they're all thematically linked through music – each play has original songs composed specifically for it. Vanessa has written the pieces, and I’ve worked on the music composition with the help of AI," Rohit says. Vanessa Ohri, who also stars in two acts, adds, "For me, the music was especially close to my heart. The lyrics mean a lot to me. Rohit and I spent over a month in Goa, with me writing and him composing, and that made it truly special."

Playing two fun characters, Shashank Bhatia, theatre artiste, who starred in Acts of Love (And Other Disasters), says, "The audience was also far more engaged than I expected. Theatre is live—it happens in real time. One audience laughs where you expect them to, another where you don't. This audience was truly present, engaging with us moment by moment as performers." As the cast took a final bow with a dance to their original 'You are Awesome', the audience left with smiles on their faces and a reignited love for theatre.