An energetic performance

FUNNY PLAY

 Even before it began, a lot of people were curious about the name of the play, ‘Pizzazz’, itself. While some were expecting it to be an energetic play, there were others who went in like a blank slate. Nevertheless, the name was catchy and the play lived up to their expectations. Written by Hugh Leonard and directed by Sharanya Ramprakash and Rituparna Bhattacharya, the play told the story of two strangers, Marion and Dr Conroy, who are stranded on a boat jetty waiting for an indefinite strike to end.

To kill the long, tedious hours, Marion draws Dr Conroy, Olivia (her secretary), Rooney (the desk clerk) and even the cleaning lady, into a series of make believe games about human relationships. Cleverly plotted, the comic scenes of the play kept everyone rolling in laughter. The chemistry between the characters was sizzling, especially in the sequence when Marion tries to show Dr Crooner how she handled her late husband’s affairs by confronting the other women. Some of the quirky dialogues with their compelling play of words also made ‘Pizzazz’ a good watch.Despite a few lengthy monologues by either Marion or Dr Crooner, there was never a dull moment in the play. Said Soumya, a member of the audience, “There were moments in the play when I wondered where the story was heading but in the end, it all came together. I was personally impressed by Sharanya Ramprakash, who played the role of Marion.”

Like Soumya, many in the audience felt that Sharanya’s interpretation of Marion was vivacious and filled with energy. “It was she who managed to weave all the characters together in the most unusual way.

Had it not been for her, the play would have been quite dull,” said Karthik, a professional.