The West Coast premiere of Anupama Chandrasekhar’s comic-drama “Disconnect” is a jarring reminder of how and why we reach people on the other side of the world when we have a problem that needs answers. It’s called BPO – Business Processing Outsourcing. Mostly 20- to 25-year-olds work the phones to try and solve your problem or – in this case – collect overdue bills. The pressure is harsh and the psychological trials are tortuous.
“Disconnect” takes us to Chennai, a small town in India where the intensity hovers at a collection call center. It is the backdrop for employees who work 10-hour night shifts in a dreary, windowless office that overlooks a garbage dump. They follow a script and try and collect outstanding credit card debts from people in the United States, people who are mostly at the end of their rope. The young Indian employees have taken American names, made their accents as American as possible and studied the geographical areas they are assigned, so it seems they know it better than the natives.
The poignant struggle to make the quota set by the company is an almost impossible task and the trio and their supervisor go at the challenge with full force. They are all expendable if they don’t succeed, and to them, this is a job – a good job in India.
Rick Lombardo must have directed this piece with a stopwatch. The timing of the telephone communication while the three are talking on phones at the same time is well done, but jarring.
Supervisor Avinash (well played by Rajesh Bose) must get his group to deliver or else he is out of a job. Roshan – who goes by Ross (an engaging Imran Sheikh) – is the hotshot of the bunch and has morphed himself into the American he would like to be. Vidya – Vickie (engaging Sharone Sayegh) – works as hard as the boys, but is frustrated with her life and is ambitious enough to want the supervisor’s job. Geri – or Gary (likeable Ray Singh) – adds the light touch and tries to make the cut with the rest. Devon Ahmed is Jyothi, the enforcer. All five add fine performances to the production.
Scenic designer Yoon Bae’s simplistic set captures the sense of the basics. Lighting by Daniel Meeker and sound by Steve Schoenbeck are on the mark.
“Disconnect” gives us an insight into an area of business we didn’t have before, but I don’t think it will make us more patient when we are on the other end of the line.
For an interesting evening with well done performances, “Disconnect” will serve well.
Where: San Jose Repertory Theatre, 101 Paseo de San Antonio, San Jose
Through: April 14
Tickets: $10 – $74
Details: (408) 367-7255 or visit www.sjrep.com.
