Play explore universal themes

Inter-generational conflict is at the heart of Dance Like a Man, a play about a young dancer who is about to eclipse her famous parents – and the way they respond.
THE dramatic tale of an Indian household torn between classical dance and social norms is told in Mahesh Dattani’s Dance Like a Man, a play that draws the audience into the dark secrets of family relationships and the conflict between generations.

Family relationships are explored in Dance Like a ManDance Like a Man explores family relationshipsJairaj and Ratna, two Bharatanatyam dancers past their prime, are contrasted against their daughter, Lata, who is on the brink of establishing herself as a top-notch dancer.

Lata’s imminent success creates tension and jealousy as her parents, especially her mother, try to relive their dance careers through their daughter. In her prime, the mother had vigorously climbed the dance ladder, until tragedy struck and her career crumbled.

Witty lines are used by the versatile actors to question the underlying motivations of the characters, and the play uses comedy to explore some serious concerns.

Suchitra Pillai, who plays Lata, explains that the combination of the serious theme and the comedy was attractive to her as an actor. And the crux of the play is quite an eye-opener.

Directed by Lillete Dubey, who plays Ratna, the production also stars Vijay Crishna (Jairaj) and Joy Sengupta (Viswas).

After the play’s Joburg debut on 8 September, Dubey said it was great to finally bring the play – which has been performed in several countries – to South Africa.

She has played the lead in more than 60 stage productions in a career spanning 35 years, from plays as diverse as Greek tragedies to absurd drama, farces, Shakespeare, Brecht and a gamut of Indian playwrights. She has also had film roles in films as diverse as Zubeida, Monsoon Wedding, Gadar, Baghban, Kal ho na ho, and a range of others.

Dubey was named Best Actress at the Madrid International Film Festival in 2008 for her film Bow Barracks Forever.

Dance Like a Man is part of Shared History: The Indian Experience, which is running at various venues until 24 September.

It is India’s longest-running, English language play and has achieved great success over the past 13 years. After travelling from India, to Dubai, the United States and Thailand, the production is in Joburg.

For more information about Shared History, which takes place during Joburg Arts Alive International, visit its website.