The Feminist Series - Plays on Patriarchy, Violence and Injustice -

Wow. There are 2 (full) plays in here and they both left me bereft.

Play 1: Said Talk.
Said Talk is a conference being hosted in South India. With an opening scene of: “”Said Talk”” believes in freedom of speech and that every individual is entitled to give and voice their opinion provided they are not politically, religiously or commercially motivated. The speakers are to ensure that their talk is RELEVANT, INTERESTING and FACTUAL even if the solutions may not be entirely realistic.”

We then move to our (Host) explaining that the speaker of the day is Ila. This play allows for Ila to be (he/she) which I thought was an interesting and overall good choice, with the subject of the speech.

I won't go into too many specifics as I'd recommend for anyone to experience these Plays on their own and enjoy the commentary.

BUT, Ila's speech as presented by (Host) is - “An exciting idea on ending violence and making the Public Justice System work for the poor.”

This play centers with some pretty great visuals and set up. We have Ila who is sure and confident in demeanor genuinely enthuse over their proposed solution on ending violence.

A young women enters the stage at some point after Ila's initial start (this segment would delve to much in the overall ideas of this play and wouldn't allow for making one's mind think and stew over the “plan” to form your own conclusions so I am purposefully leaving out Ila at this time).

As we're introduced to this young girl (age 12-15) we hear an intertwining story of her own & Ila occasionally popping in to show/provide how her Solution does work.

We hear a harrowing tale of violence subjugated onto the young girl and how her world has transpired up to her current age (15). We hear how the Public Systems fail her with great explanation into how our Governments take a great part in pain & suffering with focus on minorities and Castes. And how ourselves take part in the world around us, a selfish drive we take on our own one lane highways.

There was even a great inclusion on Malcom Gladwell's book “The Tipping Point.” Further zooming in on a well respected idea that people need to not shy away from facing and hearing horrible news and treacherous encounters loved ones and strangers have experienced to reach our boiling point and commit to action. Rage is what continues keeping the injustice torch alight with fire.

It's a great (short) play humming on the surfaces of pain and evil, and successfully timed punches of despair and hope for our futures.

Our 2nd play: Exit This Way

This play was probably my favorite of the two in here. Shorter than the first one but provided significant dialogue on the explored theme.

There's not too much movement in this play, our actors rather stationary.

Exit This Way opens up where a woman enters a funeral home succinctly named in tie with our title “Exit this Way.” A bit cheeky for a funeral home name but I enjoyed it.

The woman meets the director for the funeral home and our 2 actors get in conversation of why she's there with vague touches in her purpose.

Our funeral director is quite unaffected, intent on listening to her story until an early revelation in the play suggests our two characters may be closer than initially assumed.

It has a very heavy sense to it. While Said Talk was bleak and in your face (which served great purpose), Exit This Way takes on the tone of feeling like someone's sitting on your chest. The creator of these plays (our author Anu Canjanathoppil) was admirably aware of how two very uneasy feelings (Violence/Grief) still deserved different environment and cadence tones.

Exit This Way explores on grief. Relationships. How current/past people we meet in our lives can still have us accompanied by hurt, or love, while the other person remains unaware of their contribution to these complicated emotions.

The ending on this play was truly excellent. I loved where it went and provided me introspection.


I highly recommend if you're able to get this on Kindle or buy a Paperback copy (so happy I own physical, i annotated like crazy in it!) and you're interested in these type of discussions to read these plays. They aren't very long but leave you satisfied.