Dance Like a Man: A Stage Play in Two

Overall rating: 4/5

This play is an easy read with a good enough plot but there is a lot more to it than just a family story. Set in the 1950s, the play explores gender roles, parental negligence, crushed hopes, unfulfilled ambitions and societal expectations. There is this one dialogue that really caught my attention, "A woman in a man's world is considered progressive, but a man in a woman's world is considered pathetic." It perfectly captures the double standards around gender that run throughout the play.

I also liked how dance become a way of questioning what society considers masculine or feminine. The characters are flawed and sometimes frustrating, which makes them feel perfectly real.

Overall, it is a simple, easy and thought-provoking read. The plot kept me interested and I liked how Mahesh Dattani uses an ordinary family story to talk about some very real issues.