Plays at Gurgaon theatre fest unpack women's struggles

Amid the chaos of the city, Gurgaon slowed down to celebrate an evening of art and culture as the UNBOXED Theatre Festival by Urban Suburban Productions in partnership with Gurgaon Times was inaugurated on Thursday. Welcoming guests with chips and hummus, and an iced matcha latte in true G-town style, the ceremonial ‘unboxing’ received applause and laughter alike.

Rooted in everyday experiences, Steady That Stage traced identity, ambition and the shifting contours of womanhood through six one-act plays in 90 minutes. With characters ranging from a reclusive mother to a headstrong daughter and a stubborn househelp, the performances held up a mirror to the women in our lives. The intimate setting and occasional rhetorical questions created an immersive experience that embraced womanhood with all its perks and quirks. The audience kept tearing up throughout the show, sometimes from laughter and at times from emotion.

Authentic stories relatable to all

The youngest actor of the troupe, Nainika Nair who has been with the group for two years, said, “I love doing this because it is the type of thing that touches people, that makes people think even if it’s for a day, even if it’s for a second. That is what theatre is for and that’s what it’s about. And I think things like this need to happen more.” Talking about how Gen Z perceives theatre, she adds, “We love reels and cinema and all of that but the theatre is here. Theatre will always have its own space and it will never die. Intimate and informal shows need to happen more. Gen Z is sick of online spaces and loves going to live shows and experiences.”

“When you write about real people, the stories are more authentic and relatable. These stories are very Indian; they aren’t Western stories. These are the people around us whom we know personally. Coming from a joint family, I was surrounded by women – wilful, strong women. Everyone makes space for one another, respects them, but there are adjustments to be made as well. There are new norms, ways of dressing, and career choices. It shows how the older generation has to learn to accept it,” shared scriptwriter Farah Singh.

‘I learnt something new as a man’

Nitya Krishnan, a psychology student at DU, who attended the play with her mother, said, “The fact that it was a women-centric play is what stood out for me. It was very empowering and eye-opening for a 20-year-old like me. It’s things that we see in everyday life but often overlook, seeing them on stage brings them under the spotlight and amplifies them.”Celebrating women isn’t only for women; theatre lets men learn too. “Every time I see it, I learn something new. I always cry during In My Daughter’s Eye. It shows how women have suffered in a patriarchal society and continue to be treated this way, and deal with domestic abuse in unreported cases. It’s really sad. Personally, I feel every man should watch these shows; it is essential. They need to see what women go through and sacrifice on a daily basis for their children, husbands, and families. We really take it for granted. Seeing it on stage makes you realise that,” shared Namit Chopra, who has previously watched the play staged in other cities.

Spotlight on women

The three women who wrote and directed the plays, Ruby Kapoor, Vanessa Ohri, and Farah Singh, took the stage as the lights dimmed, completing each other’s sentences in a display of sisterhood. “All the world’s a stage, said the bard, and we couldn’t agree more. This evening is a tribute to the stages that surround us, the stages that are everywhere, the visible and invisible podiums begging us to take a stand and seek out the stages we create for ourselves. Who needs the glare of the spotlight when each of us has our own light? Cheers to all the stages of our lives, let’s steady that stage,” Ruby said.

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