Hongirana’s play Pen wins the hearts of theatre-lovers in Shivamogga

Hongirana, a theatre troupe active in Shivamogga, celebrated its 30th year by staging the play, Pen, written by Shivakumar Mavali, in Shivamogga recently.

The production, directed by Sripad Bhat, won the hearts of theatre lovers of Shivamogga because of its script, direction and the performance of two actors, Chandrashekhar Shastri and Chandrashekhar Hiregonigere, who handled multiple characters effortlessly. Their powerful acting carried the entire production with remarkable depth, energy, and precision. They kept the audience completely engaged through their emotional intensity and strong stage presence.

The play is structured as an interview with a poet, cleverly drawing inspiration from popular television interview formats. What begins as a light, personality-focused conversation gradually deepens into a profound exploration of the poet’s life, his creative process, and the deeper questions surrounding art, society, and existence.

The narrative beautifully weaves the poet’s real-life struggles with dramatised enactments of his short stories. The poet approaches a banker for a loan, only to be refused because poetry is not considered a valid “source of income". He succeeds in convincing the banker, stating that the poet too has expenses to be met. The sharp, witty dialogues in this scene provoke thought on the value of art versus commerce, the purpose of banks, and how even a mundane, dry setting like a bank can be a source of inspiration for a poet.

A love story is told through the metaphor of two trees growing on adjacent properties. This tender tale explores how love blossoms despite physical or social boundaries. Another story handles the relationship of two neighbours. One more story narrates the life of a person who, even after retirement, cannot break the habit of going to his office every day- a touching reflection on identity, routine, and purpose in later life.

At the end of the show, many audience members spontaneously went up to the stage to personally congratulate and greet the actors, playwright Mr. Mavali, director Mr. Bhat and Sasvehalli Sathish, the mentor of the Hongirana troupe.