2011-11-03

Why should you watch 'Orgasm'?

This is about the play 'ORGASM,' an original play staged by Cult Entertainment. And, my opinion on why should one watch it.

An Original Play by a Bangalore based group
Orgasm is be staged (again) 5th & 6th and 13th of November 2011. I could not watch their previous performance because I was not in town. I had heard good review about it but, as always, I like to keep my opinions/thoughts until I have watched it for myself. I got an opportunity to catch their rehearsal 2 days ago and I was bowled over. I suddenly realized Bangalore needs to watch this. It is a brilliant play and it deserves to be watched. More importantly, in the days of silly mind-less plays, Bangalore deserves a play like this.

What is the play about?

The play is all about a couple, starting from their teens till their old-age. In this time-span, how the couple discover themselves, discover love, discover responsibility, discover relationship, discover compromise, discover priorities in life. How the couple do the balancing act. How the couple endures the trouble-days. How the couple follow their heart but their loved ones close to their heart. Its journey that need to be watched and understood. 3 stages of the couple's life has been depicted in the 90 mins, viz.,
  • Youth days of pre-marital love.
  • Post-marriage midlife crisis struggles & rediscovery.
  • Old-age joy of living for each other and reminiscence of the past gone by.
Each of these stages are represented by 3 different pairs and they are shown simultaneously (almost). The ease and smoothness with which the play moves between these couples (obviously, representing each of the stages) is fascinating. The script is beautifully crafted to assist this transitions. No jerky transitions or unfinished parts.

Genre of the play

This play is not heavy on emotion it is a realistic comedy based on what happens between a couple (ideally) within the four walls. So the genre is realistic comical drama. ;-p
Reason to watch the play
A realistic play is always exciting because it provides something to take back after the 90mins. And, Orgasm also promises a sure take-away for any age-group. It is a play about relationships and one is most-likely to go back thinking about their own relationship(s) for sure.

Perfect Beginning, middle & end

All the best scripts follow the mandate strictly: "Every play should have a beginning, middle and an end". Well, so does this script. Makes you wonder, if the script-writer is an experienced old-timer bettered by his past! Sorry to disappoint you, No, the script writer is an amateur 23-yr old (or 24?) & technically this is his debut script. It is fascinating to even note that every scene had a beginning, a middle and an end. I haven't watched 1000s of plays but of the few I have watched I rarely found any following the mandate for each n every scene. What it does to the audience is immense, when the scene takes a logical closure it makes a lot of sense. You don't wonder what did that scene mean? In the same line, not a single scene seem to have been wasted. Since each scene has a logical begin & a logical end, it is far easier to understand the flow of the script. From an actors' perspective, it is easy to throw in your personal graphs in a complete scene. Its an actors' delight to work in a technically tight script.
Reason to watch the play
Watch a very technical play, which follows the mandate scrupulously. Bangalore theater scene does not, often, offer such a technical play. More so over, an original play by an amateur Bangalorean is such a rarity. Hats off to the debut script-writer & a long-time actor Avinash Daniel. If you are an upcoming aspiring actor or part of a upcoming theater group, you _MUST_ watch this to learn. Learn the art of script-writing.

Graphs in scenes, characters & play over all

What is the one thing that keeps the audience gripped on with the flow of any play or any movie? The drama. The graph the play/movie provides. The varied emotions the audience goes through. Having graphs in play/movie has its own advantages; every segment of the audience has something they connect to + they are not bored with only one emotion. Now, Orgasm provides a good range of emotions in the script. Each scene, apart from being complete, also makes sure the graph within is well defined. The highs & lows are clear yet the audience tagging along with the actors' emotions/sentiments/thoughts are not drained. To repeat, this play is not heavy on emotion it is a realistic comedy based on what happens between a couple (ideally) within the four walls. So, the emotions are not heavy but it is real. Anybody who had had a meaningful relationship will be able to relate to the emotions.
The graph is not only evident in each of the scenes but also the character that decorates the scenes. Firstly, for a debut writer, Avinash Daniel has ensured that the characters' basic trait has not been lost with the age yet the age/maturity ensures the basic traits do not take control. Very well drawn characters. As you watch the play, you will realize the couple are equals and this equality will definitely lead to power-control drama. Obviously, this drama ensures the characters has their own graph. I am struggling to put into words what I have in my mind. In short, the characters have got a great well-define graph.
Reason to watch the play
The graphs ensure that you are never bored. Also, the graphs are as close to being real as possible. In plain English, each characters are real and the emotions/drama that goes in their lives and into their head is (obviously) very realistic. You are sure to relate to, at least, one character (or one trait of one character) before the end of the play. And, the drama that the script promises you is straight out of your lives. The discussions between the husband & wife need not be as it is portrayed here and need not even be about what is being portrayed here but it could be anything generic and you will realize what is depicted there is what happens when 2 equals are tied together by matrimony.

To sum it up, my 3 reasons on why you should watch this play this weekend are:
  • Realistic comedy based on the drama of a couple over their entire duration of relationship starting from courtship to marriage to old-age
  • Technically good script written by a Bangalore based amateur 24-year old. Do I need to give you better reason? :-)
  • Each scene. Each character. Everything promises to entice you and you are bound to take back something when you return.


The tickets for the play can be bought from buzzintown.