How the boy with a suitcase arrived home

CHENNAI: Diversity in theatre is not something the Chennai audience is very familiar with yet. Boy with a Suitcase which played in the city on Sunday at the Sir Mutha Venkatasubbarao Auditorium, stands as a fine example of why we need more such cross-cultural plays. With the contrasting accents, the characterisation and the spectrum of live BGM that was such an integral part of the 70-minute play, this joint production by Ranga Shankara and Schnawwl-National Theatre from Germany brought a lot of new and exciting elements to the theatre scene in Chennai.Boy With A Suitcase follows Naz as he is sent off on a bus by his parents towards the land of ‘milk and honey’ — London. The entire ‘boy in distress finds solace in the girl he meets during his journey’ episode happens. They support each other as they brave cold mountains, run from foxes, escape slave labour and even survive the storm before they are eventually separated as they manage to reach their respective destinations. A strong bond is forged and they find each other again, even if just for a few minutes, before the play ends. The duo’s journey is peppered with Naz’s frightfully imaginative stories of adventure inspired by the tales of Sinbad the Sailor. These stories engage the audience and take the story forward. What makes this simple plot extraordinary is not only director Andrea Gronemeyer’s ability to read between the lines of playwright Mike Kenny’s script, but also the honesty of the actors. A present day Naz, David Benito Garcia, narrates the story. As the younger Naz, Shrunga BV, lives his life on stage, Garcia walks around the characters, adding a new dimension to the play.Shrunga does appear to be the better actor, but it has to be noted that his role has more scope than Garcia’s Naz. But at points where Shrunga falls short, Garcia beautifully steps in and tides over the tricky bits in Naz’s role.Simone Oswald as Krysia is full of life. The rapport she shares with Shrunga is what makes the play what it is. M D Pallavi as both the mother and sister has an amazing voice and delivers a mature performance. The rest of the cast — Coordt Linke, Konarak Reddy and  Nikolai Jegorow — string the play together. Boy with a Suitcase gives everyone something to think about. The stark reality with which the play ends, distinct from all of Naz’s Sinbad fables, is what gives the play closure.