Kannada adaptation of David Harrower’s ‘Blackbird’ to be staged next week in J P Nagar

City-based theatre group Bangalore Theatre Collective has adapted Scottish playwright David Harrower’s ‘Blackbird’ (2005). Called ‘Kattala Neralu’, the play is directed by Venkatesh Prasad. It will premiere in Bengaluru next week as a part of the Ranga Shankara Theatre Festival.

Harrower’s play was partly inspired by the crimes of sex offender Toby Studebaker. It focuses on a young woman, Una, who confronts a middle-aged man, Ray, 15 years after being sexually abused. During the assault, she was 12, and he, 40. 

Prasad’s play is set in modern day Bengaluru. He earlier adapted A R Gurney’s 1989 play ‘Love Letters’. When he was looking for a similar small cast play, he came across Harrower’s play. “Among the many plays I have adapted and directed, this has been the most challenging. Such subjects are not talked about in our theatre and cinema. It’s also emotionally taxing on actors to do such roles,” Prasad tells Metrolife. 

Prasad states some statistics — out of 8,000 cases of abuse against children reported in 2024 in Karnataka, about 4,000 are POCSO cases — and says, “When reported, the predator may face a punishment, but how does a child get out of the trauma? There is no awareness about sexual grooming in India. Is there a support system for children handling trauma? The play tries to address these issues around sexual exploitation against children,” he says.  

Actors Siri Ravikumar and Balaji Manohar will play Una and Ray. 

‘Kattala Neralu’ on November 1, 7.30 pm at Ranga Shankara, J P Nagar. Tickets available online.