Adhiraj Ghosh Dastidar's The Sniper, staged by Beadon Street Subham, is a tightly packed, 55-minute adaptation of Liam O'Flaherty's war classic that thrives on intimacy but occasionally falters in execution. Performed in a black-box space with just 25 seats, the production pulls the audience uncomfortably close to its central conflict, a rooftop standoff during the Irish Civil War where bullets collide with memory and identity.
At its best, the play is gripping. The minimal staging works in its favour, creating a claustrophobic pressure-cooker where every pause, breath, and glance carries weight. Anamitra Khan's lighting and background score stand out; the music, in particular, is thoughtfully restrained yet effective, heightening tension without tipping into excess. Ishita Debnath and Shinjini Debnath deliver controlled, internalised performances that suit the piece's psychological tone.
However, the production reveals its limitations in several small but noticeable ways. The costumes feel generic and insufficiently lived-in for a war setting, lacking the grit and specificity that could deepen the visual storytelling. Transitions into flashbacks, though conceptually strong, disrupt the rhythm and dilute the tension that the central duel works hard to build. There are also moments where vocal projection dips, causing lines to blur – a significant drawback in such an intimate space where precision matters.
More broadly, the staging feels constrained by its scale. While the black-box format enhances immediacy, a slightly more equipped stage and tighter technical polish could elevate the production significantly. The bones of a powerful piece are clearly present, but they need sharper detailing. The Sniper remains a compact, well-intentioned drama – an engaging watch for those seeking an intense, short theatrical experience. With refinement in design, pacing, and performance consistency, it has the potential to move from effective to truly memorable.
Cast: Ishita Debnath, Shinjini Debnath, Adrija Basak, Aditya Banerjee, Rudrajyoti Ghosh, Arnab Saha, Samriddha Srimani, Ishan Sengupta
Director: Adhiraj Ghosh Dastidar
Duration: 55 min
Language: English
Rating: 3
