To say the least, it was a curious transposition of roles. Tripti Mitra was essaying the young and beautiful Queen in Tagore’s King of the Dark Chambers, directed by Sombhu Mitra for his theatre, Bohurupee. And their daughter Saoli, was enacting Surangama, the middle-aged maid of the Dark Chambers! The 20-something got under the skin of the mature character, as much with her emotive prowess as with the powder in her hair, the worry-lines pencilled on her skin, and the songs that chequered the narrative. And she played the role as long as the hugely popular ‘Raja’ ruled the stage. Surangama is a complex character that would ordinarily be beyond the pale of a young woman . Saoli was forced to play the role due to a shortage of actors in the group her parents, Sombhu and Tripti Mitra had made legendary. But in trying to breathe life into Surangama, Saoli discovered herself as an actor.