Theatre Review: Nukkad natak is back on stage

Theatre Review:
The Nukkad – Season 1 ‘Who Cares’ V.2.0

Director: Abishek Iyappan
Cast: Charul Kapil, Harshal Dwivedi, Kapil, Avantika Gautam, Santosh Patil, Pranati Sahni, Vidhya V, Vivek Sinha and Abishek Iyappan
Musicians: Deepak G Lamani and Anshulika Kapoor
Language: Hindi and English
Genre: Street play
Duration: 60 minutes
Rating: **1/2

Plot:

Nukkad natak

or street play — one of the world’s oldest forms of theatre that deliberately mixes the principles of performing arts, song and dance with that of social activism to create awareness among common people — gains renewed prominence in Red Polka Productions’ latest offering in Bengaluru. Titled The Nukkad — Season 1 ‘Who Cares’ V.2.0, the performance makes an effort to stir up the audience by raising concerns over a series of happenings in and around us. From the media’s role in mobilising public opinion and social media being a popular source of viral news to whether or not one should take a stand over a matter of national interest — the play tries to find out if anyone actually cares about anything.

Review:

Social issues

always pique curiosity, because these can affect people in more ways than one, as there are times when these problems go far beyond what we perceive. Having said that, presenting such woes through the medium of arts is definitely a bold step and a big responsibility. Team Nukkad’s efforts to bring street plays back under the spotlight and touch upon a plethora of current affairs are commendable, but the performance is far behind the current discourse on these subjects. For instance, the debate over feminism is no more just about ‘#fake’ or ‘#genuine’ arguments on social media, nor does a certain ‘loud’ TV news anchor represent the entire journalist community in India. Sensitive issues like the Cauvery dispute or the growing ‘lynching culture’ in the country also demand better understanding and in-depth research ahead of being articulated on stage. These nuances are almost completely lost in the plot here. The narrative technique is superficial, haphazard and a little too noisy, at times. The energy level of the performers was too high for the audience to absorb and introspect even for a bit. Nonetheless, the flute and conch shell renditions did manage to lend some relief amid the apparent chaos.

Final word: At a time when the arts circuit is more engaged in innovation and collaborations than ever before, rekindling an ancient form of storytelling is a welcome move. Also, as an art form,

street theatre

is mostly impromptu and robust in nature. But a hasty performance may fail to create the desired impact.