Plot is composed around an old house and old furniture, which are to be sold as the house is getting demolished. The house and his late owner were taken care of by his son Vijay, while the younger son Sanjay deserted them for his career dream. Vijay is a police officer, struggling with his finances and Sanjay is muti millionaire doctor. The brothers are meeting after 16 years during which both developed a huge gap in their relationship. The play covers conversation between them in presence of Vijay’s wife Anita and the furniture buyer Chaddhaji. The play shows the need for close bonding in relationship and values, which are getting eroded by the assault of capitalism greed, and ambition.
Writer:
Arthur Asher Miller (1915 – 2005) was an American actor and writer of plays in the 20th century American theatre. Among his most popular plays are All My Sons, Death of a Salesman, The Crucible, and A View from the Bridge. He wrote several screenplays, including The Misfits (1961). Miller was often in the public eye, particularly during the late 1940s, 1950s and early 1960s. During this time, he received a Pulitzer Prize for Drama. In 1980, he received the St. Louis Literary Award from the Saint Louis University Library Associates. He received the Premium Imperiale prize in 2001, the Prince of Asturias Award in 2002, and the Jerusalem Prize in 2003, and the Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prize in 1999.
Director:
Shuddho Banerjee is a director, actor, scriptwriter, and teacher of theatre. A graduate from Presidency College and post graduate in Mass Communication, Shuddho started his theatre journey under Usha Ganguli in Kolkata and later worked under Bapi Bose in Delhi. He has directed more than 30 plays like Aap ki Mrinal, Abu Hossain, the Twelvth Night, Macbeth, Hastinapur, Ravi, Kankal-the desire defies death, William & Mary, Gharwali, Manasi, Zindagi Once more, Ghaat ke Do Padaav, Ghar Aur Bahar and others. He has been faculty of theatre in Sri Ram centre, Delhi, KC College, Mumbai, National Institute of Design, Kurukshetra etc. As an actor he has worked in numerous TV serials and films in Bengali and Hindi. He is an ad film maker.
Director’s Note
The Price, written in 1968, is still a contemporary commentary on the complex misadventure of ambition in individual’s life. With the onslaught of naked consumerism, purchasing pandemic, social media and deadly greed for increased reach and views the crises has become more complex. Highly expensive lifestyle and the lure of success have almost killed the need for humanity and the respect for human values. This play in Hindi is a telltale on that part of our contemporary society.
The stagecraft provides the environment for a dysfunctional family suffering under the burden of sacrifices, unmet ambitions, repentance and discord at all levels. Success and money becomes the most guiding factor and the price to be paid for that comes up as the most striking challenge.
Group:
Saanjhbaati Foundation is a registered trust active since 2007 producing plays in Hindi, English and Bengali. It has done its shows in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Kanpur, Baroda, Baharampur and other places. So far, Saanjhbaati has produced 5 plays based on Tagore’s stories and novels in Hindi and are showcased in Bhartendu Natya Samaroh, Dilli Hasya Natya Samaroh, Bharat Muni Natya Samaroh organized by Sahitya Kala Parishad, Govt of Delhi.