Deshik Vansadia as Theo

Vansadia who is the artistic director of The Shakespeare Company of India, and the Shakespeare faculty at The Drama School, Mumbai, went about devouring Van Gogh paintings, and was heartbroken to learn about the artist’s demise. “If you look at his work of over 2,000 paintings, you’d imagine he lived for 70 to 75 years. He discovered his love for painting at 27, and committed suicide at 37. His body of work was complete in 10 years,” shares Vansadia.  

Poll

Who will win the Punjab Elections?

BJP 32.76%

AAP 43.10%

INC 24.14%

Submit

View All In Poll

The director feels Van Gogh was misunderstood and the masses saw him as an obscure genius. “He hailed from an upper-middle-class family of artists, and his brother was an art dealer. He could have followed suit. It’s an incredible story of a troubled life. Gradually, my interest as an actor emerged, and I was looking at a character. I wanted to know how his life played out and what led him to paint.”
 
For years, Van Gogh wrote letters to his brother, Theo, revealing the struggles and thoughts behind some of his most famous works. Vansadia will play Theo to tell Van Gogh’s story. ‘I didn’t want to portray Van Gogh for some reason, though it is a dream role for any actor. I felt it would become about me. So, I looked for a different approach. Theo wasn’t rich but he supported his brother. When Van Gogh brought home a prostitute with two children, and another painter friend, Theo supported them as well. The love between the brothers is special,” explains Vansadia. 

In the play, Theo recollects these letters and describes the Van Gogh to his peers. The audience will be treated to a multimedia experience wherein the artist’s works will be projected on stage, as Theo talks about them. “No matter where he lived or who he met, he continued his art. When he was poor and worked in a coal mine, he drew with coal. Those paintings are dismal, grim, and show people experiencing hardships. They were more like black and white sketches. Later, when he discovered his identity as a painter, the colours magically exploded on screen,” reveals Vansadia before signing off.

On May 28 and 29; 7 pm
At Studio Tamasha, 602, Lokhandwala Complex, Andheri West. 
Log on to in.bookmyshow.com 
Cost Rs 200