By Ronita Panda
BOSTON– After SETU’s successful last production Andha-Yug, that took you through the harrowing sadness of destruction from a war, it is time to tickle your funny bones with our super cheerful next venture releasing this April.
As spring blooms and weather brightens, we are excited to announce our latest production ‘Hush Hush’, a classic comedy based on Upendranath Ganguly’s Bengali story Chhadobesi, the story was also adapted in an all-time popular Indian movie ‘Chupke Chupke’ by renowned director Hrishikesh Mukherjee, starring the best of actors in Hindi Cinema.
Set up around the dignified middle-class society of India in the 70’s, Hush-Hush takes a simple yet progressive comic approach to telling a goofy, heartwarming story. To say any one character in this plot is central would be biased as every part played is pivotal to the narrative.
What makes the story relevant even today is the subtle depiction of taboos & pretenses that have long existed in the hearts, minds and perfectly projected lives of normal humans, guarded by social expectations of ‘how to be’.
Be it illicit relationships, competing family members trying to be better than each other, adultery or extra marital affairs of folks trapped in unhappy wedlocks, and many more such hushed anarchies – we still witness these happenings only gossiped about but never confronted. We might have come far but haven’t quite evolved when we look around and compare to the times Hush-Hush was first told.
The message being, be it then or now, there is no perfect social class, no protected rules or norms, no highly regarded values when it comes to human choices. We are creatures of convenience who create, bend and customize to suit our situations. We love the freedom to pretend until life gives it away. The truth is that it’s okay and very much worth it to keep enjoying the ride that is life because everyone around is also portraying only the pretty until their ugly unfolds.
What’s also impressive is the author’s presentation of developing India in the 70’s portraying equality through a woman taking the first step in pursuing her love interest, or emphasizing education for all, especially girls pursuing higher Ed., which in hindsight lay the foundation for making India one of largest prospering economies of today.
A delightful silly series of events starting with Dr. Avinash Ganguly, a reputed Botany Professor’s desire to outshine his wife Sulekha’s brother-in-law, whom she considers her hero, sets the stage for comic chaos that follows. Friends and family join in to continue the charade highlighting controversies unacceptable among the middle-class, such as a married lady eloping with a poor driver or another young girl marrying a married man. It all ends well when the truth is revealed, leaving everyone relieved and laughing about the order beneath the madness.
Like the evergreen Amul ads, Hush-Hush is utterly, butterly, pretentious:) Come join us for a pure, positive and pun-intended play performance, by a double cast (Calcutta and Allahabad), promising to take you on a laughter ride that is Hush-Hush.
ꜱʜᴏᴡᴛɪᴍᴇꜱ:
• 𝗙𝗿𝗶, 𝗔𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗹 𝟮𝟲 𝗮𝘁 𝟳𝗽𝗺 (𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗰𝘂𝘁𝘁𝗮)
• 𝗦𝗮𝘁, 𝗔𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗹 𝟮𝟳 𝗮𝘁 𝟮𝗽𝗺 (𝗔𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗵𝗮𝗯𝗮𝗱) 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝟱𝗽𝗺 (𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗰𝘂𝘁𝘁𝗮)
• 𝗦𝘂𝗻, 𝗔𝗽𝗿 𝟮𝟴 𝗮𝘁 𝟮𝗽𝗺 (𝗔𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗵𝗮𝗯𝗮𝗱) 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝟱𝗽𝗺 (𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗰𝘂𝘁𝘁𝗮)
Early Bird Tickets Now Available!
Click the link below to buy your tickets:
https://www.mosesianarts.org/timedevents/1806
𝗗𝗼𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗰: A strong DOUBLE CAST (Calcutta and Allahabad) will bring a dozen
vibrant characters to life, along with dancers and narrators ensuring an unforgettable
experience for our audience! More info at www.setu.us.
Original Bengali Novel: 𝗨𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗵 𝗚𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗹𝘆
Director of Bollywood film Chupke Chupke : 𝗛𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗸𝗲𝘀𝗵 𝗠𝘂𝗸𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗷𝗲𝗲
Casting, Script Editing, & Direction – 𝗦𝘂𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗗𝗮𝘀
Social Media Publicity: 𝗦𝗺𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶 𝗝𝗮𝘆𝗮𝗸𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗡𝗶𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗹 𝗞𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗿
Lights and Sound: 𝗔𝗿𝘁𝗶 𝗔𝗿𝗼𝗿𝗮, 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗔𝘁𝗻𝗼𝗼𝗿, 𝗝𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀-𝗗𝗮𝘀, 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝗣𝗮𝘂𝗹, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗥𝗮𝗷𝗲𝗲𝘃
𝗡𝗼𝗵𝗿𝗶𝗮
Backstage: 𝗡𝗼𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗕𝘂𝘅𝗮𝗺𝘂𝘀𝗮, 𝗡𝗶𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗵 𝗞𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗿 𝗞𝗮𝗹𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗸𝗮𝗺, 𝗡𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝗵𝘂𝗿, 𝗦𝘂𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗗𝗮𝘀 (𝗖𝗧),
𝗦𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗵𝗮𝗿 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗮, 𝗚𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗮𝗺 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗵𝘂𝗴𝗮𝗼𝗻𝗸𝗮𝗿, 𝗞𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗻 𝗗𝗮𝘃𝗲
Mural: 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝘆𝗮𝗻𝗸𝗮 𝗕𝗮𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗷𝗲𝗲
Costume Design: 𝗝𝗮𝘆𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗶 𝗕𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘆𝗼𝗽𝗮𝗱𝗵𝘆𝗮𝘆
Posters and Pictures: 𝗙𝗼𝘁𝘂𝗗𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘆𝗮 (𝗩𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗱𝗵𝗮 𝗞𝘂𝗱𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝗮𝗻𝗷𝗮𝘆 𝗞𝘂𝗱𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶)
Facility Partner: 𝗔𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗺𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗔𝗿𝘁𝘀.
