February is a strange month, saturated with darkness and the ensuing anticipation of sunlight. Aren’t we all craving a bit of a dramatic farce, full of scandal, laughs and several unsuspecting suitors? Well, the antidote is just behind the curtain as The Fiancée takes center-stage at the Sagebrush theatre. The Omega had the chance to chat with Chirag Naik, who plays Manny, one of several fiancés in this farcical stage-play.
ODΩ: Could you share your role and character with our readers?
CN: Absolutely, yes. I’m playing Manny, and he’s one of the fiancés that Lucy has come in contact with after the War. He’s a really sweet, sensible kind of guy, very organized, structured, kind of individual, and he was Lucy’s boss at the department store that she worked at.
ODΩ: And without giving too much away, how would you describe the role your character plays in the plot, or at least compared to the other fiancés?
CN: Compared to [the] other fiancés, the way that I would describe his role would be one of earnest connection… But there’s also a sense of soulmates. There is a sense of soulmate kind of thing that’s happening with it. [For Lucy and Manny], their energies just feed off of one another. And there’s a real sense that this could be something good.
ODΩ: So why is The Fiancée the perfect show for the season? What should the audience expect?
CN: I would describe it as a comedy, but you could definitely pull it into that romantic comedy sort of territory, for sure. And because it’s farcical, there’s a lot of things that go wrong along the way, right? People don’t always get what they want throughout this, which is a lot of fun to watch. And as far as a Valentine’s show goes, you like to see people struggling to go after what they want, right? And seeing them have that challenge of getting there makes that payoff so much more worth it by the end.
ODΩ: On that note, what are you hoping the audience will take away from this show?
CN: I would say the takeaway from a show like this is that there is something for everybody out there.
ODΩ: Why should Kamloop’s audiences be excited to welcome The Fiancée to the city?
CN: I think they should be excited because if you’re a fan of a show that is pushing pure joy, this is the kind of show that you would want to come out and watch. There’s a sense of real coming back to happiness.
ODΩ: So what made you kind of align your acting career with this show specifically? Is it similar to other pieces that you’ve done?
CN: No, it’s not. Sometimes, you decide to do a show because it’s a role that maybe you’ve sought after for a long time. Sometimes there’s a story that’s really, really good. This one, for me, when I read it, it just made me laugh. And that had me thrilled about it. So that’s what made me want to do it.
ODΩ: Is The Fiancée similar to other projects you’ve done?
CN: I’ve been lucky. I’ve been lucky to do a lot of different types of shows, via comedies or dramas. [I have] done some dramas recently, and having that lightness is always fun to come back to. A farce is particularly special because you get to have such a grandiose sort of time with it, and it leads me to a bit of my source of where I started in theatre.
ODΩ: The play is set in the 1940s. How does that aesthetic or time period impact the show?
CN: Yeah, it’s very different. Older [aesthetics are] really valuable right now, and antique is like becoming that much more popular. But as far as the 1940s, you don’t usually see people go back as far as that aesthetic. Holly even wrote it in, where she’s just like, this is a 1940s era, but at the same time, I highly promote diversity as much as possible. So you wouldn’t necessarily see, you know, this diversity of people telling this kind of story in a 1940s kind of piece.
ODΩ: As a BIPOC actor, race is an exceptionally important topic right now. Have you ever had any hardships with casting as a BIPOC individual?
CN: It’s every day. Every day, it’s a battle of trying to fight and be seen and be heard. And I think the thing that I would just say is, don’t be afraid to speak up. It can be tiring sometimes, but it’s good to know that the more that we speak, the more advocacy that we have from others as well. So if we can stay united and strong, then [that will] make it less tiring on everybody as individuals as well.
ODΩ: Can you describe The Fiancée in three fun adjectives?
CN: Elating [and] there’s a jubilant nature to this show that is contagious as well. [In three adjectives] pure, wholesome, it’s in that vein of things.
Coming to your local stage, The Fiancée will be raising the curtains tonight at the Sagebrush Theatre, located at 1300 9th Ave. Tickets for all show times may be purchased online or at the door.