A PASSAGE TO INDIA
by Doug DeVita
Based on the Novel by E.M. Forster
This bold reimagining of E.M. Forster’s “A Passage to India” draws out the desires Forster could only imply. Told in storyteller-theatre style, it follows Dr. Aziz, Cyril Fielding, Adela Quested, and Mahmoud Ali as their forbidden passions clash with the rigid codes of colonial society—with heartbreaking consequences for all of them, shattering illusions of friendship, empire, and the safety of silence.
- Cast Size: 6M 3W
- Running Time: 90+ minutes
- Royalty Rate: $75 per performance
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About the Playwright
Doug DeVita’s adaptation of “A Passage to India” based on the Novel by E.M. Forster
Is Brilliantly Captivating. When I read DeVitas version I couldn’t put it down. He fills out each character on a deeper level and the morals at that time in India.
I look forward to it being produced on Broadway and Doug DeVita’s adaptation being made into a Movie!
Doug DeVita’s adaptation of E.M. Forster’s novel is a thoughtful, deeply felt piece of writing. DeVita’s language traces the slow unraveling of trust and the sting of betrayal with patience and precision, keeping the colonial critique honest and unflinching. His view of India under imperial rule reads as both progressive and loving, clear-eyed about the damage empire inflicts, yet tender toward the people and the place. While being far bolder about relationships, where the book only implied, the script is written with a tenderness and ache that Forster could, perhaps, never have allowed himself.
Doug DeVita pulls off the delicate trick of making his adaptation of E.M. Forster’s magnificent novel PASSAGE TO INDIA, respectful to the original while making it modern and deeply personal. I would have thought this was nearly impossible, yet here it is. Pulsating with longing, wit, sensitivity, finely drawn characters and LIFE.
This gorgeous retelling of Forster’s classic through a queer lens only deepens each character’s journey. Poignant and engaging in its poetry, DeVita’s new work is a profound and timely reexamination of the original’s personal and political reckonings that still echo today.
Doug DeVita pulls off the delicate trick of making his adaptation of E.M. Forster’s magnificent novel PASSAGE TO INDIA, respectful to the original while making it modern and deeply personal. I would have thought this was nearly impossible, yet here it it. Pulsating with longing, wit, sensitivity, finely drawn characters and LIFE.
DeVita’s reworking of the classic novel is both bold and deeply respectful. The story is streamlined, but the piece foregrounds some stunning details to enhance our understanding of the characters. The depiction of the Aziz/Fielding relationship is the heart of the piece, and it is truly wonderful to hear these characters speak so authentically and intimately. DeVita includes a forceful critique of colonialism and depicts how it saps the spirit of all involved. A Passage to India for our time.
What really makes this adaptation feel so fresh is the Aziz/Fielding relationship. It gives the story a whole new emotional heartbeat while still honoring Forster’s original. Doug DeVita writes so confidently across genres, and it really shows here: the piece is sharp, moving, inventive, and beautifully theatrical without ever feeling overly reverent or derivative. Highly recommend.
An adaptation that honors the book and balances the literary work and performance by allowing the actors to jump in and out of the scene as if they were the narrators of their own story.
DeVita’s adaptation of this beloved classic turns its lens openly on subjects EM Forster was only able, in his time, to hint at. I believe he would be proud, especially with its more satisfying conclusion; and Forster purists will be enchanted with its warm, steamy –through its evocative imagery — and inviting narrative style. Bravo.
Doug DeVita boldly brings E. M. Forster’s repressed subtext to the surface, with a fresh, exciting Passage to India that crackles with intrigue, longing, heartbreak, and rage. Thanks to a storytelling narrative device, much of Forster’s gorgeous prose remains, as do the colonial tensions, tender connections, misunderstandings, and outright betrayals that make this story so irresistible — all brought into a sharper focus. Where Forster had to insinuate, DeVita can shout; the result is thrilling.
Review A Passage to India.