Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 30: Theatre group ‘Natrang’ here today staged Stanley Houghton’s popular play ‘The Dear Departed’ directed by Neeraj Kant.
In the beginning of the play, ‘Mrs. Slater’ goes to offer something to her grandfather ‘Abel Merryweather’ and finds him quite cold and motionless. She declares that the grandfather is no more. Accordingly, her sister and her husband, the ‘Jordans’ are informed about the sudden demise of the grandfather. ‘Slater’ and her husband are busy in making arrangement for the mourning. They are expecting the Jordans to join them. They start using various materials used by the grandfather. ‘Victoria’, daughter of Slater does not like all these but reluctantly she is helping her parents in these matters. Slater is not willing to share everything of her father’s belongings with Jordan. When all these arrangements are being done, the Jordans arrive to join them.
The family members start detailed conversation on the deeds of the grandfather, planning the details of the obituary announcement in the papers and the insurance premium payment.
They start discussion over the distribution of grandfather’s belongings among them. Amid these discussions and debates, to everybody’s surprise, grandfather (who was actually alive) is seen coming downstairs. He is surprised to find the Jordans. No one dares to tell him that he has been declared ‘dead’.
While taking tea, the truth comes out and the grandfather gets to know how his daughters were in hurry to divide his possessions among them.
On knowing the harsh reality, the grandfather decides not to live with any of his daughters. He even expresses his final intention to change his Will. He declares that he is going to give everything to ‘Shorrocks’ whom he will marry. He feels that by marrying he will have someone to look after him wholeheartedly without considering him as a burden.
Actors who performed in the play were Kananpreet Kaur, Brijesh Avtar Sharma, Vandana Thakur, Aryan Sharma, Adaksh Bagal and Priyal Ashok Gupta; lights were operated by Neeraj Kant; sound was rendered by Kartik Kumar and the show was coordinated by Mohd. Yaseen.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
