Revolving around an app

Few plays choose to break convention and experiment with new forms, let alone being based around a phone app. 

But the unique mix of technology, drama, sensitivity and humour worked exceptionally well for the creators of ‘C Sharp, C Blunt’, a play performed at Ranga Shankara recently.

 

Held in association with Goethe Institut and Flinntheatre, the award-winning show starring singer-actress MD Pallavi and directed by Sophia Stepf was a hit with the City’s theater-goers. 

The protagonist of the play was Shilpa, an attractive, interactive and user-friendly mobile phone app that would behave exactly how women are supposed to in the eyes 

of men.
 

Observing the role of technology and social conditioning in India today and studying the objectification of women, the play adopted an interactive format, where the audience too used the app and changed the course of the play. 

A play that had to be experienced first-hand, another unique feature of it was the live looping done by sound engineer Nikhil Nagaraj, which added a different 

dimension to it. 

As Pallavi later explained, “We used looping to talk about social conditioning and how everything is repetitive. The other aspect of using it was to deconstruct meaning because when something is repeated over and over again, it loses meaning.”

“It was a really good response and the auditorium was full. But the full house also made the audience interactions more challenging, which made it interesting for me,” said the talented actress, when asked how challenging it was to pull of the performance.

Sophia Stepf, the play’s director, added that the response varies from show to show and every City reacts differently to it.|

“The response completely depends on the crowd in a particular show because when people start laughing, a general feeling is created throughout the audience. 

A lot of Pallavi’s friends and family were in the crowd as Bangalore is her hometown. 

 

And what I found was that they listened to the underlying message of the play more than just the fun aspects,” shared Sophia. 

On collaborating with Pallavi, she said, “It has been amazing! You can’t make a play like this when the chemistry doesn’t work. Pallavi and I share the same kind of humour. Our idea of theatre is similar and we are both workaholics and perfectionists!”

For most members of the audience, watching the play was a unique experience. 

 

“I’ve seen lots of plays but the use of technology and Pallavi’s performance were extraordinary! Sustaining a one-man show for such a long time is no easy feat and she managed to have my attention throughout. Also, the way it was scripted and how it spoke about the condition of women using comedy but still conveying the message was fantastic. Every scene had its own layer and it really spoke to me,” said Nikita, who attended the play.