Archana Asthana
Shortcut Productions, a relative newcomer to the Bay Area drama scene, made a splash with the musical “Cinemaya”, an ambitious, homegrown tale, with an outsized cast that filled the stage at Pear Theater in Mountain View with the shows running through Aug 16 on the weekends.
An original tale with music written and directed by the multitalented Ritendra Datta, the idea for which was conceived based on his personal experiences with Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the opportunities and challenges thereof. A story dwelling at the confluence of reality, imagination, mythology and everything in between in an often humorous, aesthetic and interesting way.
When a has-been movie actor seeks a comeback, and the producers run into budget issues, the crew relocates to the Himalayas to shoot in a less expensive locale, not knowing what is about to unfold will reveal eternal wisdom. The mystic mountains allow theatrical presentation of mythological figures, religious icons and apparitions who impart the truth from teachings from the epic scripture “Geeta” through the words of Lord Krishna. The crew find themselves transported to years past where dreams and hopes fueled creativity, where experiences were mentally recorded and brought to life as stories via imagination. Encounters with various Devis and Devatas contrast the instant vs. delayed gratification mindsets and highlight the stifling of arts (kala) and devotion (bhakti), leading to obsolescence of both Divine Beings and movie actors.
This message is relayed through varied, often repetitive vignettes of music and dance, including that of a robot personalizing the life of a young girl, the well-funded “Project Maya”. It begs the question whether pursuit of entertainment in the form of watching films, reading/writing stories and engaging in play, trivial, or motivating; opposed to a customizable approach tailored to the needs, desires and wants of an individual. Stories seek inspiration from small things and connect with true emotions, as well as embrace the frailty and flaws of being humans which appear to be in danger of being replaced by AI robots, programmed to customize all aspects of your life.
What the company may lack in being production savvy, is more than made up by the passion, originality, creativity and, heartfelt participation of every cast member including actors on stage, choir, and choreographers (Roshni, Rishi, Sharad, Sruti Kumari for dance, to cite a few). The music with original lyrics, or leaning on parodies of known melodies was an interesting mix of delightful and comic, coupled with agile, well-coordinated dancers depicting the mood. The “sutradhars” kept the story rolling and provided variety making up for minimal props, and increasing audience attention.
While engaging and motivational, multiple themes and ideas were packed in the play necessitating an overly long duration, which would benefit from curtailing repetitious messaging and dance sequences. Plays such as these that make us question the intrusion and takeover of our lives by robotized services lead to thought provoking discussions and eventual actions to ameliorate the condition.
Picture Credits: Aninda Mukherjee
