Amaan Ahmad’s English play ‘Artifice’ to be staged this weekend holds up a mirror to the society

For more than a decade, theatre director Amaan Ahmad has been raising his voice against valuing art through social media likes and followers. Now, he addresses the issue in his new original English play Artifice will be staged on July 9, 16 and July 30 at 7 30pm at Rangbhoomi Spaces in Gachibowli

He has written and directed the 90-minute, full-length production. Structured on lines of the theatre of the absurd, it revolves around an artist, a neighbourhood girl, a postman, a manager, a supervisor and receptionists.

Jonas David plays an artist
| Photo Credit: Special arrangement

The protagonist is an artist (Jonas David) who has spent an entire life in research but is suffering an existential crisis as his work is not recognised. While the waiting game continues for the artist, a neighbourhood girl pays money, gets her work published and buys awards. A loud and colourful postman is a character who uses a lot of profanity and intrudes on the space of the artist.

There is a twist in the tale when the artist gets a letter from the corporation saying that his art has been selected for an award.

Masks as a metaphor
| Photo Credit: Special arrangement

Produced by Storyboard Productions, Artifice is structured along five elements: Prologue, Act 1 which is a dark comedy ; masks and absurdist elements are introduced in Act 2; Act 3 and epilogue.

The multi-layered production is a reflection of society. Amaan vehemently opposes the voting system and says, “There is a difference between good and bad quality but today anyone can become big or be a winner. People used to understand, contemplate and create in the olden days but today everything is being spoon-fed. In this play, the audience will laugh at the dialogues but they will also feel the pain of the artist.”

Amaan wrote the script in 2020 but had to wait for two years to see his play on stage. While his short film Carnitapu too revolved around an artist’s existential crisis, Amaan says his works are not similar but are only an advocacy or commentary on artists and art; the core subject of Artifice is from the theatre of the absurd.”

Artistes enact a scene from the play during rehearsals
| Photo Credit: Special arrangement

The script has seen several improvisations , expanding the original 60 minute -long play to its present 90 minutes. “I am satisfied as I got the best team of artistes; the play is a cliffhanger and a surprise is in store for the audience after every scene,” he promises.

For 18+ ; Tickets ₹ 300 at the venue, insider.com and bookmyshow.com