Relive the Thrill of Ind-Pak Cricket Match at a Play Today!
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There are no upcoming cricket tournaments but theatre director Suketu Shah has managed to come up with a genius way for Mumbai residents to enjoy the patriotic fervor on stage in a new play titled Last Over. While there will be no live scores or cricketers pacing to catch runs in a field, legendary actors such as Rakesh Bedi and Ananth Mahadevan along with the rest of the cast including Abhishek Pattnaik, Gunjan Malhotra, Zachary Coffin, Abhishek Krishnan, Prakhar Singh will present a dramedy on an India-Pak match in Lords Stadium, London, UK.
The story revolves around a newly married couple (a Punjabi Indian and a Pakistani) who run a catering service during the aforesaid match. Their fathers visit them simultaneously during this event and being from rival countries, enmity ensues but in form of comedy. “When you think of cricket the first thing that comes to mind is a India vs Pakistan match. It has a lot of sentimental value to cricket fans in both the countries. Cricket becomes like a battlefield and that is why we thought of using the match as a backdrop for the play,” says the director. Shah also goes on explain that when Pakistani cricketer Shoab Akhtar and Indian tennis player Sania Mirza got married there was a lot of reaction from both the nations. “The combined history of India and Pakistan is always spoken about but when an India vs Pakistan cricket match takes place it’s a larger than life phenomenon,” he adds.
Produced by Coconut theatre and written by Abhishek Pattnaik, Last Over is a situational comedy and chooses not to focus on the tension that is usually seen in a cricket match. The production promises to be a treat for both cricket fans and theatre enthusiasts. Interestingly, the group’s last two plays have also been based on cricket. But how has the director depicted the cultural differences between both the neighboring countries? “There are quite a few things India and Pakistan always fight about like music and food and ofcourse about cricket. We’ve portrayed this amply on stage through language and background score. In terms of dressing and habits we are all the same. There are also certain values that are different – like the Punjabi father drinks regularly while the Pakistani father doesn’t touch alcohol,” explains Shah.
The play will depict in a humorous way how through patriotism both the fathers end up making the lives of their children miserable. And most importantly the audience will find out who will win the match?
Where: Bhaidas Auditorium, Gulmohar Rd, Navpada, Suvarna Nagar, Vile Parle West, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400056,
St Andrews Auditorium, Bandra (W), Tata Theatre, NCPA, Nariman Point, Nehru Centre Auditorium, Dr Annie Besant Road, Worli
When: July 22, 8pm | August 6, 8pm | August 12, 8pm | August 27, 8pm
Author Credit: Kaushani Banerjee
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Where: Bhaidas Auditorium, Gulmohar Rd, Navpada, Suvarna Nagar, Vile Parle West, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400056, St Andrews Auditorium, Bandra (W), Tata Theatre, NCPA, Nariman Point, Nehru Centre Auditorium, Dr Annie Besant Road, Worli
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