Layers Of Lear

Director Rajat Kapoor and actor Vinay Pathak's ode to Shakespeare is an experience to behold

- Satish Padmanabhan

WHAT can a solo act of over two hours be compared with in any other art form? A Hindustani or Carnatic classical music recital? A dance performance, say Bharatnatyam or Odissi or Kathak? A piano concert? An act in a ballet? Dastangoi? But in any classical performance the audience is aware of what to expect—what makes it memorable is the virtuoso’s unique rendition of a raga or abhinaya or a Bach or a Beethoven. If we extend the art forms to sports, then maybe a gymnastic routine, a tennis match (it’s not strictly solo), a fiery spell by a fast bowler in a session of a Test match?

All of these can be riveting but to hold an entire auditorium for so long on a bare stage with no props (even Waiting of Godot at least has a tree), hardly any music or lighting, with just pure acting and voice modulation, to go on without a single fumble, a single false step or sour note, is an experience to behold. Director Rajat Kapoor and actor Vinay Pathak pull it off in their beloved ode to Shakespeare, Nothing Like Lear.