CHENNAI: Theatre Genie is bringing Nee Paathiya???, a 90-minute immersive ghost comedy, to Medai, Alwarpet, on August 15. Directed by Theatre Genie founder Girish, the family-friendly production aims to blur the line between the stage and the audience, bringing performers into different parts of the venue through music, lighting, movement and carefully choreographed interactions.
“At Theatre Genie, we are always looking for ways to make theatre feel like a live experience rather than something that the audience simply watches from a distance,” says Girish. The production pairs comedy with the supernatural, with slapstick, banter, mime, and ghost sequences adding to the theatrical experience.
For Girish, immersion means that audiences cannot always tell where the performance begins and ends. Actors can appear within the audience or enter through unexpected parts of the venue, making their reactions part of the atmosphere. “The idea is that for those 90 minutes, the audience is not just looking at a haunted palace from outside. They feel like they have walked into it,” he says.
The comedy, however, is not built solely around the ghosts. Creative consultant Niveditha says the humour comes from the characters and the different ways they react to the supernatural. “Some are frightened, some are sceptical, some are curious,” she says, adding that the team has focused on character behaviour, timing and physicality rather than predictable ghost jokes.
The production also leaves room for spontaneity. While the broad structure is rehearsed, actors have to respond to unexpected audience reactions without disrupting the story. “Every audience changes the energy of the performance slightly,” says Niveditha.
And audiences may want to keep their eyes open beyond the stage. “Don't assume that everything you need to watch is happening directly in front of you,” she says.