As the next instalment of entertainment in its 50th year, Dramatic Circle Hyderabad (DCH) decided to fall back on an author, on an era and a plot that were rooted in the time when DCH was formed (or thereabouts). So it was an evening of vintage wine that we savoured.

The sets were charming. A quick change study in the use of stage craft. And signature DCH. With great attention paid to detail. The music was city hall…echoing the swing of the sixties.

But it was the venue that set the tone. Not the comparatively swank Ravindra Bharati but the quaint Bhaskara Auditorium at the Birla Planetarium literally across the road.

On the modest size stage were Ranga in his typical English Bluster of a role, Jayant in a comfortable stereotype and Aarti who played the concerned Niece-cum-Agent with aplomb.

But it was Neil Simon who took centre stage today in a laugh-a-minute script that allowed actors to titillate the audience.

Of course, Ms. Sexy Long Legs helped.  As did the Nurse who was not amenable to the mild and harmless exploitation that was being attempted. Charan did a small walk-on as a patient. The interaction between the hassled stage hand and the off stage Pranava went awry because of serious mismatches in sound levels but that was eminently forgivable.

Two aging actors who had once starred in a hit TV series called The Sunshine Boys are now confronting old age, forced retirement, fading memories and loneliness. How a few women…from a caring niece to an eye-candy nurse to a loving daughter and a professional  take care of the two till in the end is essentially the humorous plot.

For climax and drama there is an ironic if predictable twist and the two friends/rivals land up going to the same retirement home for actors.

Ranga in his role as the cantankerous Uncle Willy was quintessential Ranga. His fluid moves had only graced with age and the stiff upper lip slipped into the role effortlessly.

Aarti managed a balance between an exasperated agent and a caring niece with ease and walked in and out every Wednesday. Her routine needed just that bit of naughty Variety and she accomplished that with three cigars.

A notable highlight of the play was Jayant who walked in at some stage wearing a curly boyz wig and a blow-me-if-you-can type of moustache. Must say that the costume showed us a very rare Jayant. Relaxed…not quite the stiff and gentle giant that he almost always portrays.

All in all, a very pleasant evening. An evening where one did not mind the few forgotten lines, the mistimed cues and the constraints of a smaller performance stage. But did find the fact that there were no snacks available during the interval a tad irritating.