Venkat Raman
Auckland, August 19, 2020
Agatha Christie would have been proud of a group of Auckland based thespians for their proficiency in theatre and improvisation.
They staged ‘The Bridge-Game of Death,’ a murder mystery filled with suspense, including an obsessive search for unearthing the truth about the real murderer.
Preetha Vyas, a member of the production team who sent us this report, said that the labyrinth of lanes and by-lanes traversed through the process of unravelling the mystery sent shudders through the spines of the audience.
Rollercoaster ride
“It was yet another rollercoaster ride organised by Euphoria Entertainment Inc for theatre enthusiasts this year. Inspired by Agatha Christie’s “The Cards on the Table,” it was staged on August 8 and 9, 2020 as a part of our multicultural and multilingual fest called, ‘Utopia.’ The performances carried Euphoria’s quintessential charisma and panache,” she said.
Written by Swastika Ganguli, the play revolves around a celebrity psychiatrist party host, Dr Gomes, who gets murdered in full view of a roomful of eight Bridge players.
Murder that he never wrote
“Mr Gomes was famous as a flamboyant party host. But he also invoked fear in people. So, when he starts boasting to his guests that he is writing a book on a perfect murder, a perfect crime with an unquestionable alibi, and that he considers murder an art form, the invitees start feeling uncomfortable and unnerved. They start thinking about the possible revelations of their deepest, darkest secrets through the novel,” Ms Vyas said.
Quoting Ms Christie, she said that ‘Speech is the deadliest of revelations.’
“What began as an absorbing evening of Bridge turns out to be a sinister drama, a game of death,” Ms Vyas said.
The Stars of the Show
‘The Bridge-Game of Death’ was directed by Anirban.
The cast included Bikram and Swastika in the lead roles with Vijesh, Paranjape, Ruzbeh, Chirag, Nirmita Gosh, Vijayendra, Amit, Santanu, Saswata, and Shivaji in supporting roles.
The crew included Preeta Vyas, Malisha, Ryan, Siddish, Chinmoy, Dipankar, Gaurav, Madhurima, Aritra and others.
Editor’s Note: We are sorry to carry to only the first names of many artistes- as provided.
