The play ‘Running on Empty’ promises a comedy ride this weekend in Hyderabad

Unmasked Productions' fifth play, ‘Running on Empty by Unmasked Productions is a comedy based on a story by French writer John Pierre Martinez. It follows an out-of-work writer and a journalist, who is actually an actress hired by the writer's agent. The play is layered with witty lines to evoke laughter.

“Our play Running on Empty will ensure you carry forward the joy and laughter of Deepavali into the next weekend,” says Kedar Subhedar, founder of Hyderabad-based Unmasked Productions.

It is the story of an out-of-work writer getting a call from a journalist who says that she wants to interview him for a magazine. The journalist is, in fact, an actress and she has been hired by the writer’s agent as the playwright had not been writing for a long time and also avoiding the agent’s calls. ‘What happens once the writer discovers that the journalist is an actress forms the crux of this comedy based on a story by French writer John Pierre Martinez and translated into English by Anna Christine Gasque.

While Kedar plays the writer, Chandni Agarwal of Yogi Bear Collectives is the journalist in this two-character-and-a-voiceover play in English. “Layered with witty lines, the play is an intellectual comedy and the actors’ quirks and body language evoke laughter,” he says.

A theatre actor since 2018, Kedar has worked with city-based groups such as Udaan, Darpan and KissaGo and has featured in around 25 plays. Running on Empty is Unmasked Productions’ fifth play.

Running on Empty will be staged at Lamakaan on November 18 and Rangbhoomi Spaces on November 26; Tickets: ₹200; bookmyshow.com