This Sunday I watched Noises Off. Its Rael Padamsee's adaptation of the original play by Michael Frayn.
To tell you the truth, I have only watched 3 plays in Mumbai so far - meaning, in the last 1.5 years. That statistic is a poor representative of my enthusiasm for watching plays. Instead, it exposes the effect the first play had one me. It was aweful. I do not like serious plays unless they are extra ordinary. The first one wasn't.
The other play I saw was Anything But Love. It was amazingly funny and refreshing. Almost an Indianised version of Friends. Only, it was far more contextually relevant and comprehensible.
If ABL was fun, Noises Off was uber fun. Three acts, two breaks, 2.5 hours - the statistics look daunting indeed. The first half of the first act seems to reinforce those doubts. But once the humor sets in, there is no stopping the laughs, chortles and unwitting sounds from people facing inability to control their laughter. It was easily the heartiest laugh I had in a long time. Not that I have been deprived of laughter therapy. With friends like mine, a loud burst of laughter is a common phenomenon. This time it was different. Louder and more difficult to control.
If you get a chance, don't think twice. Watch it. We paid 250 bucks a person and it was absolutely worth it.
In the intervening period, there have been three important birthdays - Strato, sis and coffeemate. I had taken a day off for Strato's, so we had a nice time. On coffeemate's birthday, we went for a midnight buffet to Le Meridien.
Let me tell you something. French is funny. Indians trying to speak French are funnier.
I mean, Le ,prima facie, should sound similar to Bruce Lee. Or Brett Lee. Unfortunately, it is more like the La of Lala. Phew.
On Coffeemate's birthday we went to the dinner buffet at Lala Meridien. And I hogged like a wild boar.
Two rounds of starters, one round of main course, and two rounds of desserts. I could have gone to the dessert table once more, but I had been feeling lonely in my pursuit of food nirvana. Everybody else was eating in minuscule quantities. The food was delicious and at least for me, totally worth it. After this, I only ate at dinner the next day. And still felt full.
Also I had this interesting conversation during break at Noises Off involving me Strato and Godov, a funny friend.
Me to Strato: I want to go to the loo. Come along - lets take a walk. You wait near the coffee stall while I irrigate the land. I mean, relieve myself.
Strato: No. My body clock says I will need to go 42mins 32 second from now. You go with Godov.
Me: Pls/Lets go na.
Strato: No
(repeat a few more times)
Me to Godov (privately): Lets go for some baywatching
Godov to Strato: Look what he's saying. He wants to go ...
Me (creating commotion to drown out Godov's last few words)
Strato: Go with him na
Godov: What?
Me: (laughing loudly albeit silently)
(some more confused conversation between Godov and Strato)
Godov still doesn't believe his ears. Strato still doesn't know whats the issue. I am still smirking.
[ The movie seems to be bakwas. But I like this song. ]
