Play preview: WeMove Theatre’s ‘By2Coffee’ is a light-hearted play on the generational gap

Playwright Abhishek Iyengar seems to have found his forte, which is, in his own words, “contemporary middle-class stories.” He likes to explore the psyche and conflicts of the urban middle class in Bengaluru. The title of his upcoming Kannada play (which is also his eighth) –  By2Coffee – reveals this.

‘By two coffee’ is a middle-class Bengaluru lingo, which means splitting a cup of coffee. Abhishek’s play for WeMove Theatre is about a mother and son’s conversation over a ‘by two coffee’.

The son, who lives in the United States, is in the midst of his annual visit to meet his mother in Bengaluru. The mother, constantly worried about the son’s welfare, wants him to get married soon. During an overnight drive to a temple, their car breaks down in the middle of nowhere. So, they both head to a local restaurant for coffee. The mother, once again, brings up the topic of marriage. The son, who considers himself modern, rebukes her theory of relationships, beliefs, customs and traditions. This simple and satirical conversation, reflecting the generational gap, leads to many unanswered questions.

Abhishek wrote By2Coffee in 2017. “I did not stage it because a few people I know told me it was a little ahead of its time,” he says. “Though it’s a light-hearted play, it talks about serious topics such as religion, racism, and inclusion. I feel the discussions on these topics now are better than five years ago. So, I felt this was the right time to stage the play.”

By2Coffee will premiere on November 10 at Ranga Shankara. Abhishek also plans to have another show on November 27. “We are likely to have a show in Mysore this December,” he adds.

The cast includes MS Vidya, Suraj Kiran, Pradeep Pradyumna, Madhura Vaidya, Vasudha Bhogaraju, and Naveen Prasad.

‘By2Coffee’ , a 65-minute play, will be staged at Ranga Shankara on November 10, 7.30pm. Tickets at the box office and on bookmyshow.com