In an exclusive interview, Sunil Shanbag, founder of Apana Theatre Company talks about his latest show, success and theatre with Rohit Pramar...
How does it feel having completed fifty shows of S*x M*rality & Cens*rship?
It feels great as it wasn’t an easy play. We had doubts about how it will be received but my instinct told me it would work. The unanimous embrace by audiences was very heartening.
This has been one of your most successful productions. How do you explain its success?
I think it has a lot to do with the strong undercurrent of idealism in the play. We talk about the endurance of the human spirit and the struggle of performers to express what they want to. And, of course, the brilliant performances by our cast, the wonderful music and dance.
Your new play, Stories in a Song, is a collaboration with Shubha Mudgal and Aneesh Pradhan. Can you tell us how that came about?
I have been working with Shubha and Aneesh for some time now and we have been looking at the possibility of combining theatre and music as these two areas have so much in common. When Shubha came up with the idea, I jumped at the opportunity to work with them.
What response do you expect for Stories in a Song from the audience at Prithvi Theatre?
It will be interesting to see how they take to the representation of so much music and its history in a play. But then as Indians we have music in our blood so I am sure it will go across very well.
WheN S*x, M*orality and Cens*rship on June 3 at 9pm; Stories in a Song on June 4 at 6pm and 9pm and June 5 at 5pm and 8pm
Where Prithvi Theatre, 20 Janki Kutir, Juhu Entry `200