Arrey O Henry- Play review

This play is a bunch of Four stories, from the repertoire of the greatest storyteller of all times,  The magician of words, O. Henry; and adapted to Indian stage by Gulzar. Directed by Salim Aarif, this play was brought to Ahmedabad by Coconut Events, and performed at the Gujarat University Convention Centre this Sunday. Welcome to relish this 90 minutes treat of emotions, and drama, and joy and sadness. All with a witty and shocking end.

1- Salma: a graceful woman, with a heavy poetic accent recounts the story of her lost love affair with the help of the choicest Urdu Ghazals. What tale did she tell ?

2- Nuskha: A young couple wants to get married, but they are afraid of the girl's Military father. This father has developed a liking for a young pharmacist, who stays as a paying guest in his house and who also has his eyes on the said girl. Who will get the girl in the end?

3- Madam: a man gets enchanted by a woman of high class, who reads Urdu poetry, and talks in a very haughty accent. Will he be able to woo her?

4- Bal Bal Bache- A phenku barber tries to swindle a bald man with a recipe for growing wavy curls of dark hair.  But things don't go as expected. How?

The set is simple, 4 pieces of furniture, and each with its artistic background. The stories are carried with many Blackouts between the scenes. There is background music, synchronous with the expressions of the characters on-stage, and the hint of something being "golmaal hai bhai sab golmaal hai!"

But acting!
Oh my god!
Acting is marvellous. Even to someone who has known the plots, the characters never lost their grip on the narration of these so tightly written scripts. Albeit the  use of Urdu Shaers and the heavily accented Hindi seem somewhat mid '80s, but that thing kinda adds flavour to the whole experience.

Not an inch of stage remains unmapped during the rendition, even with the narrow spatial dimensions, the director has given the events a great width in terms of portrayal of locations.

The character of Salma and of Dolly , apparently played by the same actor,carried their role with such a grace!  I mean, who does, in this present world speak with so Shahi an Andaaz!
The scenes are sharply cut, not wasting time in the so-called catchy dialogues we usually associate with theatre.
Overall, the play provides a sumptuous mixture of comedy on a creamy layer of romance, sprinkled with the tantalizing surprises at each end.

A wholesome entertainer!

On the basis of watchability, I would rate this play 78/100. Out of which, 20 is for Salma, 20 for Madam, and 19 each for Bal bal bache, and Nuskha (or, Aarti Pahechaan Legi!)

A special mention is well deserved by the Shahid Anwar/Papaji for his stage presence.....

PS: you can read my review of "100 selected short stories by O. Henry" here