LOVE LETTERS (PLAY) - A REVIEW

Ballantine's in association with Dramanon presents Rage Production's "Love Letters " Starring Rajit Kapur & Shernaz Patel

VENUE : NOVOTEL, HYDERABAD 

DATE : SEPT 8th 2013

An engaging and enthralling play and I was very happy to have watched this.

It was like I witnessed lives of two people and indeed interesting journey. Love Letters written by A.R. Gurney is a play about the letters exchanged between Andy Ladd III and Melissa Gardner, over 50 years., The content of letters comprises of communication about their school, their relationships, marriage, children, divorce, art, politics and some of their missed opportunities and more importantly how they miss each other.

Directed by Rahul Da Cunha, the play uses music lighting and the setup intelligently and its a sight to watch. One can't put in words how intelligently they have used the boxes, that have become benched, beds, and even a cross. About the use of music, each song marked a decade from ues of 1940s to pop of 1990s it was wonderfully blended with the emotions of the characters.

Shernaz Patel plays Melissa Gardener who seems to be an artist on the losing side. The conviction she has brought to the role. It was just stupendous and deserved more than a special standing ovation.

Rajit Kapur play Andrew Ladd III and the way he got into the role like a chameleon changing hairstyles, makeup and becoming a kid, a sailor and an old senator in a performance that it's tough to be put in mere words. The play got a standing ovation and it deserved it. Now, I know got a reason why this play is successful and is being played for over 21 years and its a flagship play for RAGE productions. I hope many more performances by these two shall be done for this play. 

Coming to the writing of the play, this is a play in two acts and while I felt the first act was boring as it had too much information and less emotion, the second act was something that covered up the whole play and lead to an emotional climax. Now every life has to end with death, and as I always keep myself saying it's how you end up makes all the difference. I want to end up living a life, where I have enjoyed all I wanted, from food to home to car to relationships and same shall be the case with most. Melissa, due to her own choices ends up in a way we do not want anyone to and Andrew in a way which most of us aspire to. This contrast is what makes this an outstanding one. 

Also. I was very happy to see a nearly house-full crowd for this. Way to go Hyderabad and I wish there shall be more crowd pulling plays like these. A 4/5 for this. Liked it.