Theatre actor, director, and trainer Ranji David believes that art and theatre play a significant role in sparking societal change. ‘The stage is not only a platform for entertainment but also a powerful platform for addressing social issues,’ says Ranji. His directorial play, To Be or Not To Be, based on Shakespeare’s famed soliloquy from the play Hamlet is being staged this weekend. The play, he tells us, explores the lives of three characters in a metropolitan setting and highlights their struggles against the backdrop of traditional society with minimal dialogues and more focus on physical movement. The acts in the play end at a point with no clear ending. This is an invitation to the audience to reflect on the characters’ journeys and decide for themselves what should happen next, says the director. It is a space to form their conclusions and leave them with questions on how to deal with the complexities of life, he adds. Theatre becomes a mirror to society showcasing issues one might not always want to confront. Even if society as a whole is resistant, it only takes a few conversations to begin shifting minds, says David.
