The Dramatic Arts : Vinai

Before I begin, I want to warn you that this review will not follow my regular format. That is because Vinai is not, strictly speaking, a stage play. Vinai falls under the category of Koothupattarai. For those of you who aren’t aware, Koothupattarai is a play which is performed in very small halls, on the floor and they involve very little in terms of props, sets, costumes and makeup.

Vinai, directed by Icarr, is not your regular play which deals with simple subject. Without going into much detail it is a psychological crime thriller, and it doesn’t shy away from really mature topics, which aren’t generally used as themes in a traditional drama. 

This play has, hands down, the best acting I have seen in a very long time. And to top it off, the standard of acting is the same for all the actors. The technical term for a drama performer is “Dramatist Persona”. The general meaning is that the actors aren’t acting but rather imitating and inhabiting the characters.

Even though I met some of the actors before the drama, during the play they weren’t actors. They were characters form a story. Right off the top of my head, I can only think of two dramas where the actors have impressed me so much.

Another praise I have for the drama is the pacing. At just sixty minutes long, the drama allows no rest for the audience. This coupled with the fact that the audience are allowed to work out the clues along with the protagonist build unimaginable amounts of suspense, making us question everything.

There is no set design to speak of. There are two black screens, three wooden blocks which are rearranged every scene for actors to sit down and a flower vase. But this never hinders the play. Contrary to what we might presume this adds to the suspense by making everything simple and plain. Everything brings our attention to the focal point of the story; the characters.

The drama deals with very mature themes, in a levelheaded manner. There is no glorification of certain aspects of the subject that they discuss and everything seems real and completely believable. No suspension of belief required here.

I am afraid of spoiling the story, so I will tread lightly without focusing on the plot here. For many this may seem very trivial, and I am almost certain that the director may not have intended for this interpretation and assumption. There is one scene in the beginning where the main character walks to the back of the stage and, in all essentiality, performs a small prayer. Keep in mind that this is a very small and trivial action. Half way through the play, he breaks down and rushes to the back of the stage again. I have no clue if this was a conscious decision of if it was one which was done for acting purposes, but this small gesture brings that much more realism to the character.

I just can’t stress enough without spoiling the story, but the performances were spectacular.

I know that I have heaped praises on the play, but it is not perfect. The sound design and sound effects weren’t great. There is little to no background music and, certain scenes could have benefited a lot from them. But given the budget they are working with, it is adequate.

Once again, without giving away too much, there is a turning point in the story where the titular character undergoes a transformation. While the acting before and after the scene is nothing short of spectacular, it is in that one particular scene that I lost my immersion. I was left feeling that there were some scenes cut due to lack of time which would have lead up to the transformation more gradually and make it seem less jarring that it actually appears to be.

Another small dialogue slip-up and one unnecessary character also take away from the grandeur and immersion of the drama.

But irrespective of the faults I mentioned in this review, Vinai truly something different. If I have to describe it in one word, I would choose “Captivating”.

I have no clue how to rate it, because this is not a traditional stage play, but sticking to my system here, I give Vinai 4.5 out of 5 stars.

This is a troupe to look out for. Make sure to support them and stay tuned for some more reviews on their other plays pretty soon. Until next time;

Peace!!!