Stuck in the mud

Happy Days, a play starring Patty Gallagher in the title role, was staged in the City recently. Adapted from the play of the same name, written by Samuel Beckett, Happy Days was staged at the Ranga Shankara. Different from the usual dramas, Happy Days was enjoyed by play-lovers of all age groups to the fullest.

A one-man show, (or rather a woman show), Happy Days revolves around Patty Gallagher, who plays the role of Winnie, an optimist, who is buried waist down in dirt in the first act, and up to her neck in the second one. Buried waist-deep in mud, Winnie just has a shopping bag for company.

Everyday, Winnie wakes up after the ring of an alarm, says her prayers and goes on to do her other daily routines. Apart from Winnie, there is just one more character in the play. This character is that of her husband Willie (played by Joe McGrath), who gropes around helplessly for her in the mud.

Patty Gallagher carried the entire play on her shoulders with ease. After all, being buried in mud is not just physically discomforting, but also makes it difficult for an actor to keep the audience alert. A unique script and an excellent performance by Patty have made the play popular with one and all.

Patty used her face and hands, which were the sole medium of communication, to the fullest. But in the second act, where is she buried further down, neck-deep, it was her funny expressions and eye movement that really had the audience smile.