“Two Blind Mice” almost entirely retains Beckett’s narrative – tramps Didi and Gogo wait by a tree for Godot to arrive. While they’re at it they make some banal, and some not so banal exchanges about shoes, feet, body odour, the act of waiting, time, etc. Somewhere along the line, they are graced with the company of a man called Pozzo and his dog-man companion Lucky. Some more waiting and a conversation later a messenger arrives on the scene and informs them that Godot will be coming tomorrow.

The play however, varies widely from Beckett’s in its execution. Director Chandan Roy Sanyal gets five stars for his use of brilliantly stylized stage movements; incredible chiaroscuro effects; the Walt Disney ending;  and for filling the stage up with antics that have the children guffawing in their seats. It falters however in its faithful allegiance to Beckett’s dialogue. Except for literal translations of some of Beckett’s lines to Hindi, a childish lisp and nasality, the dialogue in “Two Blind Mice” is Beckett’s verbatim. Consequently the lines lose their impact on the adult audience, and even worse, fail to hold any meaning for the children who barely follow the text as a story. 

In terms of the performances, there are more good than bad ones. Dhruv Lohumi is a show stealing Lucky. He repulses, entertains and evokes pathos simultaneously, and is truly absurd.  Abhishek Saha fits in well as wide eyed Gogo, although Noel Manasseh needs much more practice and sharpening up as Didi. Amol Parashar makes a loveable Pozzo, evocative in some degree of Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter. He charms you with his quirks throughout and is wonderfully articulate.

To round up “Two Blind Mice” although not one of the best adaptations of “Waiting for Godot”; is a rare one, in unexpectedly combing Beckett’s larger than life concerns, with the far more commonplace, silent comedy-like humour.

 

Two Blind Mice

28 may 4 p.m. Mysore Association, Matunga.

 

Two Blind Mice

4 June 11 a.m. Prithvi Theatre