Agam Theatre Lab’s Kai Varisai, inspired by English author W.W. Jacobs’ 1902 short story about a wish-granting monkey’s paw, steals laughs from the audience but falls slightly short of the mark.
The play had 3 shows between 21 and 22 August. The period drama, set in the 1930s at the ‘Straits of Malaya Museum’, was an interesting premise, apt for the stage at The Playden at The Arts House.
Treating the audience as visitors to a museum on a 270° stage was a smart directorial decision, as it drew them into the act.
There was an engaging pre-show segment with the museum custodian, Victor Sebastian (Shaikh Yasin), security guard, Susai (SRS Maheshwaran), and caretaker, Valarmathi (Shobha Thiban), who welcomed the visitors/audience to an exhibition on various ‘cursed’ artefacts.
The play began with the revelation and tale of the Monkey’s Paw, which is believed to grant any wish, but also delivers consequences in return. The original Monkey’s Paw is believed to have been discovered by senior historian of the museum, Dr Lingam (Karls Karthikeyan), during his research after receiving an anonymous letter about the location of the artefact.
As the exhibition proceeds, the party is spoiled by two curators (Sabarees Kumar and Nivedha Nagarajan) from the ‘Stamford Museum’ who claim to have the original monkey’s paw, and that the one at the exhibition is a replica. A comedic chaos ensues between the staff and curators before Dr Lingam storms in.
He claims to have proof that the monkey’s paw he found is the real one, but since his academic research has not been peer-reviewed, he will not be able to reveal it. This fails to convince the two visiting curators, and they continue accusing the ‘Straits of Malaya’ Museum, cornering Dr Lingam into putting his academic credibility on the line.
In the meantime, the monkey’s paw in the exhibition goes missing, and a paw is found in Victor’s jacket. Dr Lingam is asked to identify which paw is the real one between the one found in the jacket and the one with the curators. As he is about to reveal the truth, he passes away. The cast is forced to wait for Dr Lingam’s assistant and granddaughter, Chandra (Krishmita Shiv Ram), to turn up and figure out which is the real one.
The rest of the drama turns into a whodunnit to find who stole the monkey’s paw—leading to a resolution that fails to deliver a satisfying twist or shock.
A classic whodunnit thrives on paranoid guesswork, assigning plausible motives to every player while dropping subtle breadcrumbs toward a jaw-dropping reveal. Kai Varisai makes an earnest attempt at this formula, but falters—leaving both its mystery and the supernatural lure of the monkey’s paw underexplored.
However, there was much to applaud. The stage blocking ensured excellent sightlines throughout the thrust layout, and the story relied on minimal set pieces without losing clarity. The main exhibit’s hidden trap door was a clever staging touch.
The costumes deserve a special mention as they truly brought the audience back in time and were well-designed. The light and sound design was remarkable in elevating the tension.
Shaikh Yasin stole the show, with his character speaking half-baked Tamil. His language-based jokes, such as mistaking Aviyal (Vegetable Mix) for Ariviyal (Science) and Sagikkalayaa (Can’t tolerate?) for Sasikalavaa (a woman’s name), had the audience in stitches.
SRS Maheshwaran brought great energy and gave a believable performance as a timid security guard who barely understands English.
Karls Karthikeyan delivered a loud and unique performance with wide eyes, a partially shaved head, and a hunched back, with his entire frame supported by a stick.
The other performers provided steady support to keep the museum’s chaotic energy grounded.
Some of the lines and jokes from the writer, Sabarna Manoharan, landed sharply. Certain directorial decisions, such as the post-interval storytelling sequence by Akhilesh Dhayal and Vinith Kumar, were refreshing.
The play had comedy lovers cackling through the first half, even if the momentum dipped in the second. Overall, Kai Varisai was a production with great promise that could have been so much more.
