It is tough to do English theatre in Gujarat: Kamlesh Acharya

It is tough to find audience for English theatre in

Gujarat

, feels

Kamlesh Acharya

whose play Bare Bones Returns was staged in Ahmedabad recently.

The unconventional, experimental collection of two short

English plays

has been inspired from real life events and stars Ayyan Karmakar, Garima Bhardwaj and Kanksha Vasavada – all three of whom are also part of a Hindi play Priya Lekhak being staged in city.

Kamlesh who has experience of taking his English plays to places like Dubai, Mumbai and Pune says, “Audience in Mumbai and Pune is far more receptive towards english theatre. May be it is because they are exposed to a lot of English dramas. We need to develop such culture in Ahmedabad. I think it will take some time but I hope that someday I will get more appreciative audience for English plays here.”

His play Bare Bones Returns is a sequel to Bare Bones, both of whom are on the principal of content is king. They follow the low cost model of theatre devoid of mega sets, fancy costumes and music that take the focus away from content, feels Kamlesh who has also authored a book.

On adapting Shakespeare, the director-cum-actor says, “I have opened to amazing response to my English plays in Mumbai and Pune. The number of people who come to watch such plays in Ahmedabad might be less but those who have watched Bare Bones Returns are moved. Right now, I don’t want to adapt William Shakespeare because there is already so much of content in me that I would want to stage at this point of time.”

On contemporary English theatre artistes, he says, “Unfortunately we have lost Girish Karnad but his work will continue to inspire us. I have seen some plays of Alyque Padamsee and I loved it. Naseeruddin Shah is also one of noted performers of our times. I appreciate their work a lot.”