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On Spinal Cord Injury Day which falls on September 5, a virtual play about a tetraplegic will bring together actors from across India and tap into themes of awareness, class divide, empathy and acceptance
Representation pic
Directed by Roy, the founder member of The Red Curtain theatre group, the play is based on a script by journalist-writer Meher Pestonji. It features actors Dolly Thakore, Aswin Varrier, Tanvee Ravi, Deena Ardeshir and Faredoon Bhujwala, who collaborated from different parts of India. The Red Curtain had already done a play for SCI Day in 2016, shares Roy. “Around May, Pooh Sayani forwarded me some scripts from the longlist of the Sultan Padamsee Awards, and that’s how I came across Turning Point,” he tells us, adding that Pestonji was initially hesitant about producing it digitally. However, she came on board after an online play reading, and Roy wrote to the Association Of Spine Surgeons of India, who agreed that theatre was a good way to promote the cause. The production is also supported by the Spine Society of West Bengal and International Spinal Cord Society.
About her first digital play, Thakore reveals that the plot revolves around Darius (essayed by Varrier), a young man who suffers SCI. “I play the role of his Parsi mother, Mrs Paymaster, a well-established personality. After her son is injured and requires full-time help, she decides to reach out to Soonamai [Ardeshir], a working-class Parsi woman who brought her up. Soonamai has a granddaughter, Rhoda [Ravi]. There’s also Narayan and Mr Mathur, played by Bhujwala,” she informs us.
Faredoon Bhujwala and Meher Pestonji. Pic Courtesy/Facebook
Without being preachy, the play subtly sends across the message of empathy, respect and acceptance, shares Thakore. Roy adds that although the plot follows Darius’ life, it explores all kinds of disabilities. “It looks at how people with disabilities are othered, and how people who seem to be of an inferior class are othered. It explores divides that we artificially create. For instance, our bias towards economic disability comes through. Pestonji specialises in keenly observing society. The play depicts how every human being can be humane no matter their disability,” he notes.
The 75-minute drama, which will be followed by a discussion, is free to watch, but is based on a pay-it-forward model, where viewers help make more shows possible through donations. The play, Roy hopes, will not just depict the turning point in the lives of Darius and the other characters, but also propel a change in the viewer’s attitude: “We’re hoping that the audience will have a turning point and realise that we need to be sensitive to every human’s ability, rather than disability.”
On: September 5, 7 pm
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