South Asian Arts society has made a statement loud and clear- there is nothing celebrating authentic South Asian Arts in Canada the way Monsoon Festival of Performing Arts does. With their first show Honour: Confessions of a Mumbai Courtesan, the society has given us a dose of original South Asian theatre and we cannot be more thankful for this endeavour. Co-producers Gurpreet Sian and Rohit Chokhani have introduced a city of arts and theatre lovers to a tradition of theatre that goes back to centuries, or to put it the right away, back to the Vedas where it is described as Natyashastra.
Honour, a solo show performed by the talented theatre artist Dipti Mehta, presents the story of a eunuch, priest, pimp, mother and daughter living in a red-light district in Mumbai. The play runs parallel with the popular story of Draupadi, as stated in the Sanskrit epic Mahabharata. Dipti brilliantly employs a fun and poignant approach while touching a serious subject set in today’s time. There are moments of comedy, entertainment, audacity, arts and Bollywood, making it a complete package for an audience that has probably never experienced such theatre before. What impressed me however, was that the plot went against the stereotype. Whether it be the foul language in the script or the character of a sneaky priest comically staging the ground picture, Dipti boldly did justice to the unconventional plot. Hailing from Mumbai, Dipti is now based in New York City. She attributes the characters in Honour based on her research and experience on the subject in Mumbai.
What’s interesting is the collaboration of a Western director, Mark Cirnigliaro, with an Indian origin actress on a topic that has potential to upset extremists and right wing parties in India. Perhaps Mark’s aloofness to the precariousness of the plot gives it a sense of receptiveness although I would be sceptical about the show being premiered in India.
Overall, the play was fantastic; I would prefer to have it extended for a few more days but considering it’s the festival’s inaugural year, I wouldn’t fuss over it much. But for someone like me who is born and raised in India, I would say it is as original as it can be. In case you missed this performance, the festival has a few more shows and workshops lined up. Book your tickets soon before the storm is over.
