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Staging a comeback

The play drew appreciative audience

INSPIRING Performance by the members of Thespians' Society PHOTO: M. MOORTHY

It's not often these days that Tiruchiites get a chance to see a theatre performance. And English plays are certainly a rarity.

Not surprisingly, `Scales of Justice,' a Peter Saunders play staged by members of the Thespians' Society of the National Institute of Technology, in the city last week drew an appreciative audience.

Hard work

It also brought to light the amount of hard work and preparation that go into making a hit show.

The motif of the play was nothing new. It was essentially a re-assertion that `truth always triumphs' through a portrayal of the life of the protagonist, Hans Muhler. He was born in Germany but left the country of nativity for England, as he found no prospects in Germany. When the 1914-18 World War I between Great Britain and Germany was at its peak, Hans Muhler was interned. Although Hans was pro-British to the core, people around still saw him as a Hun. How Hans fought his way out is what the rest of the story is all about.

The actors did justice to their roles and especially Jovin Alexander Mathew as Hans Muhler and Rashmi Andrea Machado as Mary Muhler slipped into their characters well and delivered the dialogue with much confidence. And the performance of Alfi Ashraf as Richard Neville (Member of Parliament) needs a special mention especially in those scenes when he tried to impress Hans with his "influential contacts" and save him from internment.

Serious intent

The play was of serious intent but there was some comic relief too, courtesy Priyanka Gupta who played Mrs. Hammond, the tactless neighbour and Sriram Varadarajan (Charles Muhler, the son of Hans). Although not much was required as far as the set was concerned, yet it was done well. The background score also blended with the mood.

The second half of the play moved into the courtroom. There were two charges against Neville.

On the first one that he had without reasonable cause brought about the internment of Hans, he was found not guilty. And on the charges that Neville had fraudulently represented that if Hans had handed over the business to him, he would not get interned, the judge found the defendant guilty. After all the arguments and high drama the jury ordered the business to be handed back to Hans and also awarded him damages for 4500 pounds.

The message of the play was law does not see any differences. It does not make distinctions.

It is not moved by sentiments or emotions. The law only weighs truth on the scales of justice.

G. PRASAD

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