A nonetheless from Susanto Banerjee’s ‘The Flame’
| Photograph Credit score: Particular Association
In a theatrical world hungry for each depth and relevance, The Flame guarantees to ship a compelling mix. Ventures Theatre Group revisits this Bengali adaptation of a Somerset Maugham story below Susanto Banerjee’s route. It’s a play that tackles advanced points with timeless enchantment like custom, change, and the way we outline ourselves.
Initially crafted by the English playwright Maugham and later tailored into Bengali by Tirthankar Chanda, The Flame has been translated again into English by Debleena Roy. This course of has preserved the essence of Maugham’s narrative and infused it with an Indian cultural context, providing audiences a layered expertise. Since its first staging in 2016, the play has seen over 15 renditions, every including to its legacy as a chunk that intrigues and challenges its viewers.
“The changes I’ve made goal to sharpen the play’s focus, eradicating redundancies and guaranteeing coherence with out disrupting the narrative stream,” Susanto explains, “These edits are delicate, primarily refining the dialogue and narrative construction to reinforce readability and engagement. The core of the play, its flavour, and its impression have been preserved, mirroring the success and acclaim it garnered in earlier displays.”
“The narrative that unfolds a night dialog revealing advanced relationships and a thriller, all set towards an Indian backdrop, deeply engaged me,” says Susanto, reflecting on his preliminary encounter with the Bengali adaptation. His connection to the play is rooted in its skill to supply “layered interpretations and new insights upon every revisit, akin to epics.” This basic nature, coupled with a strikingly modern storyline, underscores the director’s imaginative and prescient of creating the play accessible and related to a contemporary viewers.
Regardless of its classic, Susanto insists, “the play stays modern, each in its remedy of relationships and the unfolding of its central thriller.” This duality is central to the play’s enchantment, offering a canvas for exploring the distinction between conventional and unconventional life views. Susanto’s route goals to “precisely convey its advanced layers,” highlighting the intricacies of human relationships and the alternatives that outline us. His method emphasises engagement, inviting the viewers to delve into the narrative’s depths, echoing his perception that “it’s our duty to maintain the viewers absolutely absorbed.”
Susanto’s directorial method was to refine the script with minor edits and additions that improve readability with out altering the core narrative. “The essence and core layers of the story stay unchanged,” he says, underscoring his dedication to sustaining the play’s integrity whereas navigating the subtleties of character interplay and dialogue that permit for brand new interpretations.
“One method to introducing new views is by involving another person within the manufacturing, somebody who would possibly see and current the story barely otherwise,” he explains. “This methodology was a part of my course of; I sought suggestions from theatre critics, each acquainted and unfamiliar with the play. I supplied them with the script and my interpretation, soliciting their insights. This suggestions led to a number of edits, guaranteeing that whereas the play’s core stays constant, about 10% to fifteen% has been adjusted primarily based on these new inputs.”
The inventive workforce, together with Raag Urs on lighting and Gerry Ambrose for music, enhances Susanto’s imaginative and prescient, creating an atmosphere that helps the play’s emotional and philosophical journey.
The Flame performs at Jagriti Theatre, Whitefield, Bengaluru on February 24. Showtimes are 3:30pm and seven:30pm. Tickets on bookmyshow.com.
