Attend this theatre performance in Mumbai that transports you to a small town

Bureaucracy can be empathetic and kind says Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub The actor seems to still be holding on to the inklings of Chhote Babu from Jhilmilganj the small fictional township in danger of being erased from the map Farfetched as it might seem Ayyubrsquos return to the stage acquires a contextual colour with the recent student protests seeking to change this very bureaucracy By the time it opens at Prithvi Theatre on Thursday Rasika Agashersquos Jhilmilganj Ke Sitaare would find a rejuvenated audience now familiar with how humour can drive changeThe play is an adaptation of James Hindmanrsquos Popcorn Falls In the play Popcorn Falls is a small town that faces bankruptcy and is threatened to be turned into a sewage plant ldquoTwo people from the town turn to the theatre in an effort to save it The original text has a completely comic vibe However we chose to colour it in an Indian context capturing the current theatrical scenerdquo shares director AgasheThe production will also mark the return of her husband Ayyub to the stage after a hiatus of eight years ldquoIt was all about the scriptrdquo he says Agashe points out that it was timing The simplicity of a twoman production was made easier by the ability of Gagan Riar and Ayyub to build on the characters in the short timeAyyub plays a quiet and sympathetic small town lsquoChhote Babursquo while Riar plays the role of his secretary ldquoThe two decide to set up a theatre production in the village Setting it in India meant that the play had to acquire different colours in terms of behaviour language and texturerdquo the director shares Thus the pub became the dhaba the language acquired desi inflections But underneath it all runs a common thread of the resilient nature of artRasika AgasheFor Riar the story comes from the heart of Indian small town ldquoThink of Malgudi Days or Well Done Abba and the problems they capture The humour emerges from the relatabiility of the experiencerdquo he says Both actors bring to life the many characters they interact withAgashe shares ldquoWhat drew me to it was the idea that theatre saves the day As we worked on the adaptation it struck me that was always the case Humour is always the best weapon Basically behind all the clowning and trickery is the fact that the humanities have always been key to change in societyrdquoAyyub maintains that art can be therapeutic ldquoPeople are beginning to realise how important the creative aspect of any society is It makes you more empathetic more humanrdquoWhile they step into another rehearsal there is news that a generation driven by memes and sass has indeed driven change ldquoThis is a memegeneration that is beyond us Their resilience is a joy we have not felt in quite a whilerdquo the duo admitsON July 30 and 31 6 pm and 9 pmAT Prithvi Theatre Janki Kutir Juhu Church Road JuhuLOG ON TO inbookmyshowcomENTRY Rs 500 onwardsStage picks for this weekgtgt KadambariThe story of Rabindranath Tagore and his muse Kadambari Devi finds its way on the stageON July 28 8 pmAT Prithvi Theatre JuhuLOG ON TO inbookmyshowcomENTRY Rs 200 onwardsgtgt Purane ChawalAn adaption of Simon Jonesrsquo The Sunshine Boys is brought to life by Kumud Mishra and Shubhrajyoti BaratON August 1 930 pm AT Rangshila Theatre Sathersquos Restaurant Ground Floor and First Floor Aram Nagar 1 Versova Andheri WestLOG ON TO rangshilatheatreENTRY Rs 500gtgt Anta AstiPrarambha Seven different tales from authors such as Manav Kaul and Manish Soparkar among others bring to life the complexity of the human mindON August 2 7 pmAT Veda Black Box by Veda Factory Bungalow 120 Aram Nagar 2 Versova Andheri WestLOG ON TO inbookmyshowcomENTRY Rs 249