Arts
From bonds of friendship to bonds of acting
The bonds of friendship will be tested to their limits, as heartbreak is coupled with humour in this slice of 17th century Mughal life. Theatre Junction presents Guards at the Taj, a captivating two-person play by American playwright Rajiv Joseph, directed by Anushka Senanayake and starring Nandun Dissanayake and Eraj Gunewardena.
Tense interactions: Eraj and Nandun at rehearsals (above and below)
The play will go on the boards at the Lionel Wendt Theatre on February 21, 22 and 23 at 7.30p.m. and will feature original music by Natasha Senanayake and Ridma Weerawardena.
Set in Agra in 1648, the play centres on two Imperial guards, Babur and Humayun, on duty the day before the Taj Mahal is unveiled to the public. When the two are ordered to perform an unthinkable task, we follow their journey in dealing with the aftermath where they will be forced to question everything they know with their friendship tested in brutal ways.
This dark comedy leaves no stone unturned, exploring everything from beauty and trust to power and loyalties. “It’s a clear reflection of what society is, and how politics and higher powers can influence it in some ways,” Eraj observes, while Nandun adds that though it has political connotations, it isn’t political in a literal sense.
The play focuses on the moral issues that the two guards face, as they are confronted with the struggle of remaining loyal in the face of abject cruelty by their higher powers. “It’s about walking that fine line between loyalty to your friend and loyalty to your conditioning and your superiors,” Nandun says.
As the actors see it, the play aims to shed light on the unfair boundaries created by those that have control, and the extent that abuse of power can affect creativity and talent. In the midst of exploring those themes, the bond between Babur and Humayun remains the driving force of the play. The heart of Guards at the Taj is in the conversations between the protagonists and the evolution of their relationship.
“In the day-to-day conversations we have with each other, there is so much depth. Without our knowledge, we talk about very deep things, but it’s still very conversational,” says Eraj on why this piece is so engaging in its stripped-down simplicity. Nandun adds that it is exactly this balance of humour and darkness that keeps the play as thrilling as it is.
Eraj was director Anushka’s first pick for a role in Guards at the Taj, as they had worked together before in Theatre Junction’s productions of Next To Normal and Cinderella. Eraj tells us he already had the script last year when they meant to stage it initially, but the production was postponed until 2020 following the Easter Sunday attacks.
When looking for the last piece to complete the puzzle, Eraj suggested Nandun, whom he has known since their schooldays at Ananda College, having taken part in productions like Dracula in 2015 together.
“I’ve known Anushka for a grand total of 30 days!” Nandun laughs. In those 30 days however, the trio has made every available minute of their rehearsal time count.
“The best thing about having a director who knows what to say and do, is that she is able to communicate exactly what she wants. Not in a million words, but she’s able to give the one that you need,” Nandun adds.
The engaging script coupled with the minimalistic, abstract set design ensures that the audience’s attention will be focused solely on the actors, which is a challenge in itself for them. It was an intense process of hands-on collaboration to find the right interpretation for each and every moment, from the words themselves to reactions both calculated and involuntary.
With a two-hander play at a
runtime of about an hour and a half, the two actors were faced with a staggering amount of lines to learn. And yet that was only half the battle, as it was just as important (if not more so) to make those lines feel natural and authentic.
But as the actors explain it, there is no monotony because the conversation evolves, where something comical can morph into something sinister and violent. The added bonus of knowing each other well and already having that trust made the process easier. “The roles demand that kind of closeness. If the actors themselves aren’t comfortable with each other, those intimate moments of friendship wouldn’t feel the same,” Eraj says.
Hilarious yet heavy, expect a tumultuous journey, an emotional rollercoaster that is just as relevant to us today, as it was to two Imperial guards in 17th century India.
The play contains strong language and violence – hence is recommended for mature audiences.
Tickets priced at Rs. 3500, Rs. 2000 and Rs. 1500 are currently available through the bookline hotline on 077 2311 360. Follow Theatre Junction for more details at https://www.facebook.com/TheatreJunction
Bringing to light a dark comedy: Eraj Gunewardena and Nandun Dissanayake as the two guards (Pictured on the Magazine cover too). Pix on this page by Sajana Herath and hair and make-up-You by The Wax Museum