Mumbai: Agnes of God, an upcoming production by Mahabanoo Mody-Kotwal’s Poor Box productions has run into trouble after the management of Sophia Bhabha Auditorium, where the play was scheduled to be performed later this week, cancelled the show after warnings from Christian outfit, Catholic Secular Forum of a backlash from the Catholic community.
And while financial losses at the sudden cancellation have left the production house in the lurch, the outfit has further called for an overall ban on presenting it anywhere under the contention that it ‘threatens the secular fabric of the country’. The outfit, lead by Joseph Dias, has alleged that the content of the play, which is an adaptation of a popular eponymous play about a nun who conceives a child and claims that it was through immaculate conception “grossly misrepresents the institution of nuns and practitioners of Catholic celibacy.”
While the outfit claims it has gained the backing of the Bishops Conference, an apex religious body in the country, the protest has been met with criticism from the theatre community, which has called the hue and cry unwarranted.
Speaking to this newspaper about the issue, the play’s producer Ms Mody-Kotwal alleged that she had received threatening calls from CSF and said, “What is absolutely surprising is that the Sophia administration has given into such demands. We are not associating ourselves with the Catholic community and the play to has been a classic and widely acclaimed abroad. What is even more surprising is that 20 years ago when it was first brought to India, it was not only performed in Mumbai, but was even performed at Sophia Auditorium. So why are they backing out now?”
The CSF informed that it has approached the CP and warned of serious repercussions if the play is performed. CSF’s Mr Dias contended that acceptance in the west was out of context in relation to India.
Brushing aside warnings, the show’s producer, Ms Mody-Kotwal added, “We will perform the play even if we have to do it under a tree.”
