A scene from ‘Taking Sides’ by Atul Kumar Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Hitler’s favorite conductor,

No one has had a surname as divisive as Berlin Philharmonic conductor Wilhelm Furtwängler. It is this division or conflict that forms the core of the drama. take sides It comes to Chennai after about a 50-show run across the country. The visual narrative follows the records of Furtwängler’s post-war interrogation by US Army Major Steve Arnold, who was an insurance investigator in his previous civilian life. Furtwängler’s loyalty remains to his music, as the conflict of what is right and what is wrong weighs heavily.

Director Atul Kumar believes that there can be no better time to stage such a play. Atul’s first interaction with drama happened a few years ago, when he got to see a film by Hungarian filmmaker Istvan Szabo based on the original play. take sides“I remember telling myself that someday I should pick up the script and take it to the stage. It’s just that the times we live in right now, sadly, make the script extremely relevant,” says the director.

The play, which took shape during the pandemic, simply talks about freedom and emphasizes the arguments that can be made around art and politics in times of oppression. “It questions how, in a time of fascism, one maintains one’s morals. Where does one draw the line?” Atul adds.

A scene from ‘Taking Sides’ by Atul Kumar Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

The questions asked in the play are very personal for Atul. “I have always done theater that was loud, powerful and top-notch. Be it comedy or tragedy, it has always been larger than life. It’s my expression, and material culture has been my practice.”

However, this time, he wanted to explore the classical way of doing theatre, “where the focus is on words and logic. So for the first time in my 25-year career, we have done a play that is realistic,” he says, laughing. The play is usually performed in traverse (where the audience sits on either side of the performer in the center) at alternating locations. “I really wanted my audience to be divided. I wanted to create this duality of how they see it.” (In Chennai, however, this format will not be followed as the location is not conducive to it.)

Although the script has been edited for the times, it is not an adaptation. Extensive research has been done on historical references that may have gone unnoticed by the audience.

“Artists debated, talked, and drew on literary and journalistic references to discuss which side we would stand on. No one took a clear stand. We realized that we must keep the audience excited, and make them leave the auditorium arguing for ideas and concepts,” says Atul, who plays Furtwängler. The outsider’s perspective of whether or not the character is loyal to Nazi Germany creates his conflict.

A scene from ‘Taking Sides’ by Atul Kumar Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

The production first took place over a Zoom call during the period between major lockdowns of the pandemic. And so, the play has gone through strange times, says Atul. Audience response has also evolved over the years. “People are now more vocal about things and are accepting of this drama. We feel less afraid to say the things we say,” he concluded.

Taking Sides will be staged at Medai, Alwarpet on October 19, 7.30 pm. Tickets are available on BookMyShow for ₹499.