It’s all about women at The Junction in Alserkal Avenue, from April 6-8, when the second edition of Queens of Drama takes centre stage. The segment with five shorts, written, directed and acted by women, which deals with everyday situations and issues, is all about empowerment.
“Each writer/director was given complete independence in picking the subject they wanted to write about, as long as the story... revolved around women,” says Rashmi Kotriwala, festival director and co-founder of The Junction.
Here’s what the writers had to say about their motivations and diagloues that encapsulate their plays.
Runway, by Peri Desai
“I tried to tackle themes that would involve educating both genders. The idea [of the play] comes from things I myself wrestle with as to the choices we make in life.
“The idea [is] about this young girl going down two different paths, being given two different messages by kind, loving, supportive family... and with that I’ve explored things like messages we give young children.”
Dialogue: You can’t escape life’s learnings.
The Pink Ribbon, by Purva Grover
“Ever since I began playwriting, it has always been to do with some kind of cause, because I believe, you know, if with one’s words you can make a little difference, one should try to use that.
“I wanted to approach a topic that we rarely talk about... like, we don’t even tell our little girls that they have breasts. And the second is that even as a society we only talk about breast cancer when it is October. [Then]... we’ll just sell cancer. And these two things have always annoyed me.”
Dialogue: Pink sells. Red bleeds. Period.
i by Druti Shah
“I come from a place where I’ve always wondered if these are really my thoughts or these are thoughts heavily influenced by... what society has laid upon me. There’s always been a constant questioning. Is this all I need to know? It’s a very existential question of what governs our thought process.
“It [the play] was a two-and-a-half month process. One of the things that plagues our society is the need to be free... when we [my cast and I] met, I did not go with a ready-made script, I went with an idea in my mind and I used it as a means to explore the subject from different people[‘s point of view]. So I asked, ‘What is freedom to you?’ And we all started writing together.”
Dialogue: Once upon a time, when we were birds, there was a simple understanding that to sing at dawn and to sing at dusk was the only way to celebrate the song of freedom. The birds still remember what we have forgotten: that to be true to our voice is to grow wings.
Please don’t cry, by Farheen Khan
“The story follows new mother Bree, who is played by a local actress Jasmin Neuschaefer, who is struggling from post natal depression and struggling with motherhood, and all the challenges that come with it; the demands of a new baby, feelings of in adequacy, etc.
And also, the lack of family support, and I think that is something that will resonate with a lot of new mothers out here.
“Part of the motivation behind writing it is women, as new mothers, need to get better at talking about it.”
Dialogue: It was meant to be so natural, so beautiful. There’s nothing beautiful about you crying all day. I just want some quiet. Please.
This show is always on, by Rosine Saad
“Usually I write comedy. The idea was to put daily situations or normal situations that you have and treat them in a more funny.”
[There are four monologues.] The first one is Jameela, My name, My curse, where Jameela is discussing with the audience the concept of beauty; My ta ta Land, [about] a shelter in a war zone, it’s dark humour; Stop The Planet Of The Cats, about women and their break-ups; and Betty Makes It All Smooth: well-mannered and people take you for granted.
Dialogues:
Jameela: I don’t know if I cursed my name or my name cursed me.
My ta ta land: I miss the days when hit was only a music on the radio.
Stop The Planet Of The Cats: What happens if women stop trying to date after their first break-up?
Betty Makes It All Smooth: If I’m polite and well-mannered, nice to people it doensn’t mean you can take me for granted.
