‘The focus remains on the script’ Theatre actor Ira Dubey discusses roping in the SMS generation with a theatre festival of short plays

‘The focus remains on the script’

Theatre actor Ira Dubey discusses roping in the SMS generation with a theatre festival of short plays

Actor Ira Dubey is geared up for the second ShortSweet theatre festival in Mumbai, which will feature 30 plays of 10-minutes each. Here are excerpts from our chat with her about theatre and the festival. The short play format is relatively new here. What made you introduce this? Two years ago, the best eight plays from Sydney’s ShortSweet festival were showcased in Delhi, which I happened to see. I loved the idea, personally and for many other reasons. I felt like this was the kind of project I wanted to be associated with in the long run. What do you hope to achieve through this festival in India? The motive is to cultivate an interest in theatre, especially in the younger generation who would much rather go for a movie than watch a play. In order for them to become interested, they have to be exposed to theatre. The short format works nicely for the SMS generation because they want everything to happen quickly and these pieces are not lengthy. What about the older generation? Will this appeal to them as well? It works across the board mostly because of the themes of the plays. In a single night, the selection will be done such that it’s a mixed bag of emotions being touched upon. The plays talk about everything from mother-daughter relationships, to love, family situations, comedy, and social topics that all ages can connect with. Are the participants mostly students? Our performers this year include current and known theatre personalities, to students and even people who have full-time jobs and careers but have a drive for theatre. I always encourage new and fresh talent. And with this festival the stage is open to anyone who wants to try their hand at it. Why do you think the short play format will be successful? In addition to the short duration, the most important thing about the plays in this festival, is that they go back to the basics of theatre — to the simplicity of scripts. We encourage directors to use basic furniture, lighting and sound, so that the focus remains on the script and content. It’s a pure form of theatre, with emphasis on the audience and the text.