Mumbai: Christian groups are up in arms over a play, Agnes of God, which they claim “belittles their religion.” In fact it was their tone of protests which saw its scheduled staging at Sophia Bhabha auditorium cancelled at the last moment.
“We had an invitee show scheduled for October 4th for which most passes had been sent out,” recounted Kaizaad Kotwal of Poor Box Production, which is staging the play. “One of the nuns at Sophia’s called to say that the show would have to be cancelled since the venue couldn’t be available.”
Furious he points out how the nun on the line informed him that the bookings for the venue not only for October 4th but for all dates till April 2016 which had been blocked were cancelled. “I asked why this sudden unilateral decision but she just hung up on me.”
Avant Nagral who plays the protagonist in the play lamented that the drama off-stage was more than onstage.
“In a span of 72 hours, we’ve been forbidden to perform at our original venue, have been receiving threats of arrest and imprisonment, an FIR was filed against our director, and a group of people has tried to make our life miserable. We have had to file for police protection: all in an effort to provide a voice for issues which demand a voice in this day and age.”
Pointing out how she had learned a lot from her fellow actors, directors, production team, but most importantly from the play itself, she added, “We used to have several hours of reading sessions, dissecting the play, and really, truly attempting to begin to fathom its meaning.” Pointing out how the 1982 Broadway play touches upon the debate between faith and reason, and poses the question: Do you believe in miracles? And if so, what is a miracle? “In a day and age where you pick up a newspaper and read about horrific events and negativity, the kinds of questions and situations this play poses is very refreshing. It is based on a TRUE STORY, and the issues it uncovers are very relevant today.”
When Kotwal heard that the city-based Catholic Secular Forum (CSF) was calling the play “anti-Catholic” and an attempt to “make a fast buck at the cost of Catholic faith,” he reached out to CSF head Joseph Diaz. “Dias said even if the play is cancelled he will ensure that me and my septuagenarian mother will be put behind bars.”
While the first staging is now rescheduled at the NCPA on Oct 6th, CSF general secretary Joseph Diaz who admitted he hasn’t watched the play told dna, “We’re protesting because this threatens the secular fabric of India,” reported DNA
He said this was not only about the Catholic nuns or Christian clergy alone. He also brushed it aside when told that the Catholic Church of England and Wales had endorsed a film based on the same true story. “Many countries in the West are open to ideas of homosexuality and nudity but India is not yet culturally or socially ready for such freedoms,” said Diaz who found nothing un-Christian about threatening to ensure a 70-year-old goes to jail. “They have invited this trouble.”
The Archdiocese of Bombay too has frowned on the play saying it had “serious reservations with regard to the promotional bill board advertisements and other ad-campaigns of the play.” According to the statement: “They distort Catholic religious concepts such as the Immaculate Conception and Virgin Birth and hence tend to ridicule tenets of our faith – without understanding their meaning.”
It further says: “The claim that the plot is based on a true story does not absolve the producers from their duty of being vigilant not to create a generalised caricature of respected religious persons.. This would be a great disservice to society. We strongly protest this.”
However unlike the stridency of Diaz’s approach, the statement points out, “While the Catholic Church upholds a broadmindedness towards literature and art, and hence does not clamour for bans of literary and artistic works,” and adds, “she cannot but underline the responsibility of the media to be sensitive to the religious sentiments of people, whatever be their religious affiliation.”
In fact the Major Archbishop Catholicos and President Catholic Bishops Conference of India has also written to the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on the issue asking for a ban on the play.
WHAT”S THE PLAY ABOUT?
Agnes of God, the John Pielmeier play tells the story of a novice nun who gives birth and insists the child is born of virgin conception. A psychiatrist and the mother superior of the convent clash during the resulting investigation leading to several questions on belief, faith, religion and science. The play was adapted for a movie by the original playwright in 1985 and starred Jane Fonda, Anne Bancroft and Meg Tilly. The Norman Jewison directed film got Oscar nominatons for best actress in a leading role (Bancroft), best actress in a supporting role (Tilly) and best music, original score.