Karthik Kumar has brewed something funny. His second stand-up comedy solo show, called Second Decoction , is about all things second-best. He terms it a “celebration of the middle-class upbringing, filled with hope, dreams and life savings, just enough to pay the first EMI.”
The show was born out of the plight of the middle-class during the Chennai floods. “It made me reflect on how it is more of a mindset than a class!” We are, he says, like the middle berth the Indian Railways tried to introduce. “Theoretically, it could have existed, but let’s be practical… Only the middle-class can fit into it. Because we are adjusting like that.”
After work-shopping the set for 900 minutes during open-mic performances, and two international shows later, Second Decoction makes its Chennai premiere this weekend.
Edited excerpts from an email interview.
What do you have against the first decoction?
I’d love to have a lip-lock with the first decoction, but that privilege isn’t reserved for the middle classes in India. We deny it to ourselves — second-best is best, first is out of reach!
Aren’t you worried about excludingtea drinkers through this show?
I must clarify, this show isn’t about coffee. It is for coffee lovers, and also, for the tea drinkers.
The show premiered in Mumbai, and following two shows in Singapore, it’s making its big Chennai premiere this weekend. Would you call this your filter coffee performance?
If by filter coffee performance you mean the strongest and most concentrated decoction of them all, then of course: Mylapore deserves the strongest brew! Coffee runs in our blood...
Second Decoction will be staged at The Music Academy on July 2 (7.30 p.m.). Tickets are priced at Rs. 500, Rs. 600 and Rs. 750. For students, discounted tickets are available at Rs. 300.
All tickets are available on www.bookmyshow.com. For details, call 99404 96286.
