Lounge Loves: ‘Old World’, custom cocktails and more

A masterclass in theatre

There was a sense of quiet joy as Naseeruddin and Ratna Pathak Shah took to the stage last Friday. Old World, a Motley Production—presented in the National Capital Region as part of the annual Delhi Theatre Festival—was set in a sanatorium in the lush, misty hills of Kasauli. Pathak Shah—a temporary resident of the facility—lit up the stage from the minute she stepped on to it, showcasing shades of eccentricity and vulnerability in equal measure. Shah—a surgeon—offered an apt foil to this firebrand of a character. This was a play about the loneliness that ageing brings, and finding companionship in unusual people. The highlight, for me, was when the actors broke into a dance—an elegant ballroom twirl followed by a jive, and ending with Shah breaking into an impromptu bhangra. This was indeed masters of theatre at their best. 

—Avantika Bhuyan

Mood in a glass

I am an occasional drinker. In fact, I often pretend fresh lime soda is a G&T at social events. Last weekend though, I decided to try a new Japanese restaurant in South Delhi, Call Me Ten, which offers the omakase experience, a traditional Japanese concept where the chef crafts the menu based on the seasonal availability of ingredients and the diner’s mood. The bartender asked me what my mood was and what I was looking for in my drink that Sunday evening. Five minutes later, I was served “Breakfast”, made with lemon peel-infused Scotch whisky, banana syrup, coconut milk, cold brew coffee and lime juice with a delicious garnish of orange whipped cream and orange blossom water, sprinkled with Oreo Cookie crumble. One sip of Breakfast, I got exactly what I was in the mood for: a pick-me-up on a lazy day. —Pooja Singh

Also read: What to watch this week: ‘La Maison’, ‘Mr McMahon’

Society tales 

It has become fashionable to label any book set in the British Regency era as “for fans of Bridgerton”, as if the genre did not exist before the hit Netflix series, and The Benevolent Society of Ill-mannered Ladies doesn’t escape the tag. It is, however, a far cry from Bridgerton’s cloying drawing room dramas: the heroines are not young and vivacious but quiet spinsters in their 40s who discover adventure, mystery and purpose. Using the very fact that they are invisible to society, they start saving persecuted women: one being slowly poisoned, another banished to an asylum, little girls being trafficked. Along the way, there is a highwayman and an attempt to clear his name—a storyline that will hopefully be resolved in the next instalment. Cannot wait. —Shrabonti Bagchi

Rethinking a superhero 

Batman is reimagined as a Mughal king in the painting Bombay Bat by contemporary artist Rohan Joglekar. The superhero is dressed in all black with an embroidered bat suit and is holding a bat-shaped gadget like a delicate rose. An orange Ganapati brooch secures the cape. The quirky depiction immediately catches the eye. On closer look, a cinematic story line is unraveled. It alludes to a temple robbery and Batman is surreptitiously riding a horse to catch the culprits. The syncretic theme becomes apparent too with a Muslim king dressed like a superhero. The painting is on display at Method Kala Ghoda in Mumbai till the end of September. —Jahnabee Borah

Also read: Source: Let your style scream ‘glitter glam’ this festival season