The stay-six-feet-away, contact-killing coronavirus has consigned entertainment to the digital space—movies to concerts. Stage plays are playing along too. One such play is I Don’t Like It As You Like It, with actor Vinay Pathak in a pivotal role. He tells Lachmi Deb Roy how theatre artistes are struggling to keep the art alive.
Tell us about the play.
It is loosely based on Shakespeare’s As you Like It. The plot is a comedy of errors; mistaken identity. It is about lovers and the philosophy of love. Some of Shakespeare’s greatest lines have come from this play. It is about two very different couples. What we brought into the adaptation are the clowns. Popo, Soso, Fefe, Mimi, Coco, Fido. It explores their relationships.
Do digital plays digital lose their essence?
Digital theatre is a new concept. We will find out. It will certainly not be the euphoric experience of watching a live stage performance. It...