Berkshire on Stage

Two friends banter, argue and dream as they stand guard at the Taj Mahal in Agra, Hindustan in 1653,  the year of the monument’s completion.  Their relationship is the core of Guards at the Taj by Rajiv Joseph,  a complex and compelling drama at the Chester Theatre Company, Chester, Massachusetts.

Babur (Abuzar Farrukh) is a free spirit while Humayun (Ruchir Khazanchi,) whose father holds a high office in the emperor’s coterie, is more staid.  As they talk their attention is averted to various birds, an indication of their desire for a freer life.  A major law, that Babur finds tempting to violate, is that no one is to look at the Taj until its full construction is completed, which is imminent.  Humayun repeatedly warns him that he’ll face time in prison, if not execution, should he turn around.  He also informs his friend that Shah Jahan, whose late wife Mumtaz Mahal is entombed in the structure, doesn’t want anything built that will be more beautiful than the Taj.  To ensure this he decrees that the twenty thousand men who have worked on the memorial will have their hands chopped off upon completion.  This disturbs Babur who reluctantly accedes to Humayun’s admonitions.

Babur occupies the time by detailing a dream he has had. He says he peered up into the sky and saw flying machines like birds.  He wonders if these machines, which he calls aero-plats, could reach the stars.  Humayun frowns on this and virtually every fantasy Babur describes including his desire to be a guard in the emperor’s harem rooms.  Slowly, as they realize the construction is complete, both men turn to stare at the monument.

Their next responsibility is to participate in an atrocity beyond human comprehension.  This act infuriates Babur who repeatedly cries, “Beauty is dead!”  Humayun simply says it was necessary for them to follow orders to proceed; he does not empathize with his friend.  He also says his father has told them they have been rewarded… they will be the emperor’s guards when he visits his harem.  This mollifies Babur, but the rage continues.  His anger leads them into a series of conflicts that culminate in a brutal scene.

The actors, directed by Reena Dutt, are wonderful.  From the very opening their friendship is profoundly real even with the arguments and sarcasm.  Farrukh makes difficult moment-to-moment transitions seamlessly and his physical presence embraces the stage.  In contrast, Khazanchi changes occur slowly but efficiently. When he has to fulfill an order that enrages him the audience sympathizes because he and they must accept its inevitability.  Ms. Dutt has done an artful job directing this two-character play, which isn’t easy.  The pace is consistently sharp as it weaves its way through a difficult story line.  The staging is fluid through the myriad scenes and mood changes.

The technical elements of the production complement the play’s events.  Travis George’s set utilizes suggestions of the Taj’s exterior wall and then, in somewhat slow scene changes, its interior.  Graphics are a major part of James McNamara’s light design.  There are pictures of the universe enhanced by vibrant colors.  Gentle scenes are framed by softer hues.  He uses darkness effectively.  Melancholy music intermixed with the sounds of birds creates a unobtrusive background as designed by Naveen Bhatia.

Guards at the Taj is a difficult play to watch, but it is a brave selection by the theatre’s new co-producing artistic directors as they continue to embellish Chester’s reputation for challenging artistic choices.  If you enjoy provocative theatre, this is a must-see.

Guards at the Taj by Rajiv Joseph; Director: Reena Dutt; Cast: Abuzar Farrukh (Babur) Ruchir Khazanchi (Humayum); Set Design: Travis George; Costume Design: Dona Natesan; Lighting Design: James McNamara; Sound Design: Naveen Bhatia; Fight Choreography: Mike  Rossmy; Stage Manager: Ken Schultz Kent; Running time: 2 hours, one intermission; 7/6//23 -7/16/23; 15 Middlefield Rd., Chester, MA 01011; www.chestertheatre.org; 413-354-7770